Abstract: A joist tie may be designed to increase the strength of the joist tie and reduce the thickness of the joist tie, in order to provide the desired strength and the ability to make connections that operatively couple structural decking, the joist tie, and joists together using a single connector in one or more locations. The joist tie may be strengthened through the use of one or more ribs and/or one or more flanges. The one or more ribs may be formed to fit within one or more cavities within adjacent joists located in series. As such, the shape of the joist tie may be dimensioned in order to allow the joist tie to be placed on a first joist and a second joist without having to be attached until after assembly of the structural decking on top of the joist tie and joists.

Abstract: A support apparatus having a base to support a support member which, in turn, supports a structure (e.g., a building joist, overhead structure, combinations thereof). The support apparatus may be used to provide reinforcement between a floor (e.g., ground, substrate, or the like) and the structure. The base of the support apparatus is in the form of a generally planar circular base, but may have any shape. The base may include one or more platforms, recesses, or ribs in order to provide structural support to the base and/or locations for one or more fastener apertures. The one or more fastener apertures are configured to receive one or more fasteners for operatively coupling the base to the floor in order to resist movement of the base during installation and/or use of the support apparatus.

Abstract: A convertible container includes a top panel, a first longitudinal wall panel, a second longitudinal wall panel, and a bottom panel. The first longitudinal wall panel has a first longitudinal edge. The first longitudinal edge is connected to the top panel via a hinge. The second longitudinal wall panel has a second longitudinal edge. The second longitudinal edge is connected to the top panel at a fixed 90-degree angle. The bottom panel has an openable edge. The bottom panel is permanently coupled to the first longitudinal wall panel and removably coupled to the second longitudinal wall panel at the openable edge. The top panel is moveable between a first configuration and a second configuration. A method of assembling a functional structure includes providing the convertible container and lifting and rotating the second longitudinal wall panel away from the bottom panel about the hinge.

Abstract: A siding panel installation system can include a support tray channel with a first leg and a second leg opposite the first leg, where the second leg of the support tray channel is offset from a mounting face plane of the first leg by a support tray connecting the first leg and the second leg together. The siding panel installation system can also include an inside mounting clip with an attachment leg and a support channel spaced apart from the attachment leg and offset from a mounting face plane of the attachment leg, where the support channel of the inside mounting clip is configured to receive the first leg of the support tray channel. The siding panel installation system can include an outside corner clip with an attachment leg and a support channel spaced apart from the attachment leg and offset from a mounting face plane of the attachment leg.

Abstract: A fitting includes a first mounting portion connectable with a first member and having opposing planar surfaces and inner and outer ends. A second mounting portion is angled with respect to the first mounting portion, is connectable with a second member and has opposing planar surfaces, an outer end and an inner end integrally formed with the first mounting portion inner end. A boss projects outwardly from the second mounting portion first surface and is disposable within a recess of the second member or a stiffener coupled with the second member. The boss has an inner end adjacent to the second mounting portion inner end, an outer end spaced from the inner end, a centerline between the boss inner and outer ends, and an outermost surface spaced from the second mounting portion first surface by a spacing distance having a value greater than zero at all points along the centerline.

Abstract: A foundation for a wind mill includes a circular or polygonal pedestal for supporting a wind mill tower and a plurality of ribs radiating radially outwardly from the pedestal, wherein the pedestal is divided into a plurality of circumferential sections, wherein a circumferential section and a rib are each integrally formed with one another as a precast concrete element, wherein the precast concrete elements are made from reinforced concrete including a first reinforcement structure, in particular reinforcement bars, embedded into the precast concrete elements, a second reinforcement structure is provided, which holds the precast concrete elements together and which is coupled to the first reinforcement structure.

Abstract: A modular partition system comprises a plurality of panels and at least one connecting strip. Each of the plurality of panels comprises two support members extending generally perpendicularly to a plane of the modular partition system and a central panel extending between said two support panels. The plurality of panels are arranged such that the central panels of each of the plurality of panels are generally mutually parallel and one support member of each of the plurality of panels is adjacent to a support member of an adjacent panel. The at least one connecting strip cooperates with a support member from each of two of the plurality of adjacent panels so as to connect said two of the plurality of adjacent panels.

Abstract: Modified and connected foam wall structures and methods for making them are described. The wall structures include a frame, a foam panel attached to the frame, a foam layer disposed in a cavity defined by the frame, and a structural adhesive. The structural adhesive may be disposed in at least one of: (A) an aperture located within the foam layer, and (B) an aperture located between the foam layer and a frame member. In some cases, a cured structural adhesive is located between connecting members of adjacent foam wall structures.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method is provided to connect precast concrete panels to a structural member. The connector can have a receiving member embedded in a precast concrete panel and can further have an attachment member that selectively interconnects to the receiving member. This attachment member can have a surface that is oriented substantially perpendicular to the precast concrete panel and that receives or supports a structural member such as a floor joist or a second precast concrete panel. The configuration of a protrusion of the attachment member allows for a rapid and secure interconnection with an aperture in the receiving member. A builder can use the connector system described herein to rapidly and securely assemble multiple precast concrete panels to structural members in the construction of, for example, a parking garage or other similar structure.

Abstract: A capping apparatus for covering a pre-existing stair structure can include: a tread element; and a trim piece attached to the tread element proximate a longitudinal edge of the tread element. The trim piece includes a back surface defining: a first recess for receiving a thick sub-tread for a first type of pre-existing stair structure; and a second recess for receiving a thin sub-tread for a second type of pre-existing stair structure. Methods of manufacturing and installing the capping apparatus are described.

Abstract: A vibration absorption device for acoustic insulation for a building structure comprises an absorbent cushion and a vibration isolation cushion. The building structure is selected from a ceiling structure, a floor structure and a partitioning structure separating two adjacent building compartments or a building compartment and the external environment. The absorbent cushion comprises sound absorbing material and the vibration isolation cushion comprising vibration isolation material. The vibration isolation cushion overlies and is laminated to the absorbent cushion. The vibration isolation cushion is rigid relative to the absorbent cushion. The absorbent cushion is supple relative to the vibration isolation cushion. The vibration absorption device is mountable to the building structure, to isolate vibrations and to provide acoustic insulation between the two separated and adjacent building compartments.

Abstract: A reinforcing body and a method for its manufacturing. The reinforcing body has at least one reinforcing bar. Each reinforcing bar has a core with a peripheral surface at which a rib structure with at least one rib and at least one depression is provided. The core is formed by at least one first fiber strand embedded in a core matrix. For creating the at least one rib at least one second fiber strand is embedded into a rib matrix, wherein the at least one second fiber strand and the rib matrix are separated by at least one depression in a direction parallel to a longitudinal center axis of the reinforcing bar, such that the at least one second fiber strand is separated into fiber strand sections. The at least one first and the at least one second fiber strand have fibers of different materials.

Abstract: A clamp (51) for connecting panels in a surface coating structure on a base frame comprises a fixable element (100) and a rotatable element (200) having an upper part (220), projecting after its rotation from the fixable element (100) and provided with end (21, 22) of engagement in lateral grooves of adjacent panels. The rotatable element (200) has an intermediate part (280) and a lower part (290) which are constituted by two coaxial discs, the disc of the intermediate part (280) having a smaller diameter than the disc of the lower part (290). The fixable element (100) has two communicating coaxial holes (10, 11) housing the intermediate part (280) and the lower part (290) with a wide coupling to allow rotation of the rotatable element (200) with respect to the fixable element (100). A manufacturing process of the clamp (51) is also described.

Abstract: A multi-function leaf-separating-discharging height-and-angle-adjustable louvered pergola comprises: opposing end caps, multi-screen-securing edges, rainwater-and-wind-sealing insulation strips attached to multi-screen-securing louver blades for automatically raising and lowering shade and video projection screens and controlling fruit-drying duration and also functioning as a truck-bed tonneau cover, cradle axels inserted between cradle caps and rotation cradles, stanchions and rotation cradles screwed to first and second leaf-discharging side gutter beams, corner posts, multi-louver-control bar connected to linkage arm, linkage arm connected to worm-gear transmission controlled by multi-screen-raising-lowering multi-louver-control crank, first and second rainwater-channeling-and-leaf-filtering side gutter beams attached to the corner posts, the discrete-leaf-filtering tubes, spouts, corner-post base plates, and height-and-angle-adjustable tube screws screwed into the corner-post base plates.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a service pit having a head section and a foot section made from fiberglass, aluminum or other metal sheeting, molded plastic, or other suitable material. In one example embodiment, the service pit is equipped with a staircase pivotally mounted at one end of the service pit to accommodate a pivoting action of the staircase and permit access to the bottom of the pit for cleaning, maintenance or other operation.

Abstract: A lighter, more cost-effective roofing system and method, which includes a rain diverting feature for directing rainwater and snowmelt away from an underlying sheet material and roof deck, is provided. The invention includes a sheet material having an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface includes one of a hook and loop fastener and the lower surface is configured to be attached to the roof deck. The present invention further includes a plurality of roofing tiles, each tile having hook and loop fasteners adhered to a back face which extend along the width of the tile at or near the uppermost and lowermost edges.

Abstract: Modified and connected foam wall structures and methods for making them are described. The wall structures include a frame, a foam panel attached to the frame, a foam layer disposed in a cavity defined by the frame, and a structural adhesive. The structural adhesive may be disposed in at least one of: (A) an aperture located within the foam layer, and (B) an aperture located between the foam layer and a frame member. In some cases, a cured structural adhesive is located between connecting members of adjacent foam wall structures.

Abstract: A stair tread cover suitable for covering at least one step in a staircase. The stair tread cover includes at least a front portion and a back portion. The front and back portion each have a top surface and a bottom surface. At least one friction region is optionally positioned on the bottom surface of the front portion of the stair tread cover, and at least one gripping region is optionally positioned on the top surface of the front portion of the stair tread cover.

Abstract: An example system in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes an opening assembly and a guard assembly installable in a floor above an enclosed region. The opening assembly is actuatable between an open configuration to provide access to the enclosed region, and a closed configuration in which the opening assembly provides a closed surface. A guard assembly is mounted to the opening assembly and actuatable independent of the opening assembly, between a retracted configuration flush with the closed surface of the opening assembly, and a deployed configuration to serve as a guard for the opening assembly.

Abstract: A post socket includes a housing, a compressible sleeve within the housing, the sleeve being moveable between a first position in which the sleeve has a first internal width and a second position in which the sleeve has a second internal width, a linkage pivotably connected to the sleeve, and an actuator for actuating the linkage to move the sleeve from the first position to the second position to grip a post therein, the linkage including a linkage body connected to the actuator, the linkage further including at least one arm including a first end and a second end, the actuator being configured so that its actuation moves the linkage body to thereby move the first end and the second end of the at least one arm and thus move the sleeve from the first position to the second position.