Stabilizing And Anchoring Device For Mobile Homes And Similar Structures

Abstract

A stabilizing and anchoring device for mobile and modular homes and similar structures in which a base is secured to a supporting member and supports an upstanding member having an extensible and retractable member, such as a threaded shaft, in the upper end with a fixture for connection to a structural member in the home or similar structure. The fixture firmly clamps the structural member so that when the device has been installed, the stabilizing portion thereof holds the mobile home or similar structure firmly in place. An anchoring means is connected to the base and is adapted to receive the end of a tie-down strap or cable which passes over and around the top of the structure, thus providing a firm support beneath the structure and an anchored tie-down system so that the structure will withstand high winds and gales.

Description

Mobile and modular homes, trailers, campers and similar structures are usually not placed on and secured to a permanent foundation, but are left on their undercarriages and sometimes placed on concrete blocks or stablizing jacks. If the mobile homes or other similar structures are not anchored, they may be blown from their supports into other mobile homes or trailers in the adjacent area, causing not only serious damage to the particular structure but also extensive damage to other structures which may have been struck by the mobile home and which may have been protected by anchors. Various types of anchors and stabilizing devices have been used in the past, including guy wires or straps connected to ground fixtures, either permanently or temporarily inserted in the ground, using the earth to form the required holding action and weight to retain the vehicular structure and hold it in place during times of high winds. It is often desirable to use temporary or removable ground anchors; however, the larger mobile and modular homes often are mounted on relatively permanent supports, and the guy wires or straps are attached to suitable anchors buried in the ground. Those ground fixtures must be inserted deeply into the ground to be effective; however, occasionally poor ground conditions prevent the fixtures from being seated or inserted firmly in the ground, and hence the fixtures do not securely hold the structure in place during storms. While these straps or guy wires are often provided with means for tightening them, they nevertheless become loose as a result of the poor ground conditions for the anchor and through constant tugging by the force of the wind on the structure. Further, the guy wires or straps themselves may cause the structure to be somewhat distorted and out of balance, since several of these are normally used along the mobile home and may not be tightened uniformly from one strap or guy wire to another. In addition, the ground surface conditions may be such that there is a tendency for the mobile home supports to settle in one place more than at another, thus loosening the guy wires and further causing the structure to be off level or even partially unsupported and not effectively anchored. It is therefore one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a combination stabilizing and anchoring device which gives both firm support to the mobile or modular home or other structure and provides an effective anchoring system for securely holding the structure on its supports.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination stabilizer and supporting structure which permits effective adjustment of the attitude of the structure as well as the anchoring straps along the sides of the structure, and which permits the adjustment to be made from time to time as settling of the ground or changes in the condition of the structure occur.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stabilizing device which gives both an effective support to a mobile or modular home or similar structure, and at the same time effectively retains the mobile or modular home or structure in place with or without straps or guy wires extending over the structure, and which is adaptable to various types and makes of structures without any substantial changes being required in the device.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a stabilizing and anchoring device of the aforesaid type which is relatively simple in construction and operation and can be installed on a prepared base and readily attached to a mobile or modular home or similar structure to firmly anchor the structure in place, and which does not detract from the appearance of the structure, while providing the required safety and reliability to protect the structure during severe weather conditions.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mobile home supported and anchored by a plurality of the stabilizing and anchoring devices;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the stabilizing and anchoring device, showing the manner in which it is attached to a mobile or modular home or similar structure;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the mobile home illustrated in FIG. 1, showing in greater detail the manner in which the home is supported and anchored;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the stabilizing and anchoring device shown in the preceding figures; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the stabilizing and anchoring device shown in the preceding figures, the section being taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and to FIG. 1 in particular, numeral 10 designates a mobile home, which for the purpose of the present description may be considered conventional and which includes a roof 12, opposite sides 14 with windows 16, front and rear ends, and a tongue or draw bar 18 for connecting the mobile home to a tractive vehicle such as a truck or automobile. The mobile home when it is initially made is mounted on an undercarriage which has been removed in the illustration in FIG. 1, the undercarriage normally including tandem wheels. The basic frame of most mobile homes includes a pair of steel sills, such as I-beam 20, extending longitudinally along the under side of the structure and being spaced inwardly from the respective sides thereof. Numeral 30 designates the present combination stabilizing and anchoring device mounted on and secured to concrete pillars 32, seven of which are disposed along each side of the mobile home. Instead of pillars being used as the base for the stabilizing and anchoring device, a concrete slab or runner along which the wheels of the mobile home travel when the home is being moved into its resting place may be the base for the device. While seven stabilizing and anchoring devices are shown along each side of the mobile home, fewer, such as two near each end, may be used in the installation.

The stabilizing and anchoring device as illustrated in the drawings consists of a hollow metal cylinder 40 secured to a base plate 42 which in turn is secured to the concrete pillars by studs 44 imbedded in the pillars and having an upper threaded end onto which nuts 46 are threaded and tightened into place against the upper surface of the base plate. The cylinder preferably is secured to the base plate by welding so that together they form a unitary structure. Mounted in the upper end of the hollow cylinder is a cap 48 which is secured to the upper end of the cylinder by welding or other suitable securing means, and which has a threaded hole 50 therethrough for receiving a threaded shaft 52. The cap is provided with a downwardly facing shoulder 54 which seats on the upper end of the cylinder. The threaded shaft is adjusted longitudinally in the cylinder by rotating it in the cap, using, if necessary, a rod or other suitable tool in a transverse hole 56 in the upper end of the shaft.

A fixture 60 is mounted on the upper end of the shaft and consists of a bottom plate 62 having a center hole 64 therein for receiving a reduced diameter portion 66 of the shaft 52 with a flange 68 thereon for retaining bottom plate 62 on the upper end of shaft 52. In order to secure the plate to the lower flanges of the I-beam, plates 69 and 70 are seated over the flanges and are bolted to plate 62 by bolts 72 and 74, respectively. When the base plate 42 is bolted to pillar 32 and fixture 60 is clamped to the flanges of the I-beam, the stabilizing portion of the device not only supports the mobile home but will hold the mobile home down against a substantial wind force without any additional assistance from the anchoring portion of the device. The proper leveling of the mobile home can be obtained by rotating shaft 52 upwardly or downwardly in cap 48 to raise or lower fixture 60 and hence raise or lower the I-beam.

In order to give additional protection from high winds, a strap 80 is preferably placed over the mobile home either externally or internally of the siding and roofing material. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings the straps are placed under the siding and roofing material, thus concealing the straps except beneath the mobile home. The lower end of the strap on each side is anchored or connected to the stabilizing portion of the device by a fixture 82 consisting of two upstanding steel members 83 and 84 rigidly joined to the base plate, and by a bolt 86 extending through aligned holes in the two upstanding members. The strap is looped around the bolt and riveted or clamped, as shown at numerals 88 and 90, although preferably an adjustment means is provided in the strap which permits the strap to be shortened in order to assist in tightening the strap firmly to hold the mobile home firmly in place. However, the tightening may be accomplished by elevating the mobile home by screwing shaft 52 vertically upwardly from cylinder 40.

In the use of the stabilizing and anchoring device in the preferred manner, pillars 32 are placed in the ground where the sides of the mobile home are or will be placed, and the mobile home is then positioned over the pillars. The stabilizing portion of the device is bolted or otherwise secured to the concrete pillars and the shafts 52 of four or six or more stabilizers are adjusted to abut plate 62 against the under side of the longitudinal floor sills. After the mobile home has been leveled by properly adjusting the height of shafts 52 in the cylinders, plates 69 and 70 are clamped on the flanges of the I-beam, thereby forming a firm connection between the pillars and the bottom of the mobile home. This installation will effectively protect the mobile home against moderately high winds, and the stabilizers along either side can be adjusted if required from time to time to maintain the mobile home in a level condition.

To give maximum protection, the straps, which may be in place under the siding and roofing of the mobile home, are connected at opposite ends to fixture 82 by forming a loop at the end of the strap and inserting bolt 86 therethrough. The strap preferably contains an adjustment means to vary the length so that it can be tightened firmly to hold the upper portion of the mobile home structure firmly in place. However, tension can be applied to the straps by adjusting all of the shafts of the stabilizers upwardly after the straps have been connected to the fixtures.

It is seen that the present stabilizing and anchoring device can be used as a stabilizing device by attaching fixture 60 to the floor structure, or it can be used as an anchoring device by attaching the straps to fixtures 82 on opposite sides of the mobile home. However, for any installation which is intended to remain in place for a substantial period of time, both the stabilizing and anchoring portions are used. The anchoring system can be used with permanently installed straps as shown in FIG. 1 in the drawings, or it may be used with straps placed externally over the sides and top. In place of straps, cables or wires may be used in very much the same manner as the straps. Further, the device may be secured to concrete runners on either side or to a concrete slab on which the mobile home is placed, instead of being attached to pillars such as illustrated in the drawings.

While only one embodiment of the present stabilizing and anchoring device has been described in detail herein, various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. A stabilizing and anchoring device for mobile and modular homes and similar units having floor support members, comprising a base for connection to a support, an upstanding member joined rigidly to said base, an anchoring fixture rigidly connected to said base in close proximity to said upstanding member for receiving the end of a tie-down cable or strap for the mobile or modular home or similar unit, said base, upstanding member and said fixture forming a unitary structure, a vertically movable and extensible member supported by said upstanding member, a fixture for connecting and firmly holding the upper end of said extensible member to a floor support member, and a means for extending and retracting said extensible member to level the unit and simultaneously tighten the cable or strap.

2. A stabilizing and anchoring device as defined in claim 1 in which said anchoring fixture consists of two upstanding members rigidly joined to said base and a cross bolt for receiving the end of the cable or strap.

3. A stabilizing and anchoring device as defined in claim 1 in which said upstanding member consists of a hollow cylinder and a plate at the upper end with a threaded hole therein, and said extensible member consists of a threaded shaft disposed in said threaded hole.

4. A stabilizing and anchoring device as defined in claim 1 in which said fixture for connecting and firmly holding the upper end of said extensible member to a floor support includes a plate for engaging the bottom of the floor support member and a plate and bolt therethrough for clamping the floor member to said fixture plate.

5. A stabilizing and anchoring device as defined in claim 1 in which said base consists of a plate secured to the bottom of said upstanding member and having holes therein for receiving studs or bolts for securing the plate to a support.