Abstract: A retrofit roof tie down that helps prevent the roof from separating from the gable end wall, having a fork and yoke to accommodate different roof pitches. The forks attach to pipe that holds down the roofing material and roof sheathing. A plate attaches to the gable wall securing the outside sheathing to the underlying rafter. A bolt fastens the yoke and plate together through the roof and an eye nut secures everything together. A cargo strap secures the eye to the ground.

Abstract: A hotel-restaurant structure including a shared area formed by an overlapping corner portion common to the hotel and the restaurant. The overlapping portion is defined by a corner of the hotel structure that overlaps the restaurant structure and a corner of the restaurant structure that overlaps the hotel structure. The structure includes an access from the hotel structure through the overlapping portion into the restaurant structure such that the shared area comprises less than 50 percent of the floor area of the hotel structure and less than 50 percent of the restaurant structure.

Abstract: A method of constructing a suspended floor is described in which a plurality of beam-forming formwork assemblies are located in substantially parallel alignment, the beam-forming formwork assemblies are supported in support assemblies on a support base in stable equilibrium, a plurality of floor-forming formwork assemblies are located between the beam-forming formwork assemblies for support thereon, concrete is poured in said formwork assemblies, the concrete is allowed to set, and the formwork assemblies are removed from the set concrete for re-use.

Abstract: A playhouse kit which includes a building constructed of thin light weight materials with dry eraser surfaces provided on both the interior and exterior surfaces thereof. The building is constructed using members forming walls, roof, and floor of a house shape structure while the members to construct the house are attached to each other utilizing Velcro.sub..TM. or any other securable attachment means. Numerous magnetically attachable accessories are provided including thematic accessories and/or any accessories which would may interest the child's imagination. In addition to the accessories numerous dry eraser markers in various colors are provided that allows the child to draw on or decorate the interior or exterior surfaces of the playhouse as desired.

Abstract: Corrugated metal roof panels have overlapping opposite curled edge portions defining channels adjacent the ridge portions of the roof panels. Parallel spaced support rods have inner end portions which project into the channels and are secured by fasteners. The support rods project from the ends of the roof panels and have outer end portions secured by fasteners to the top flange on the outer wall of a U-shaped rain gutter. The inner wall of the gutter has a top flange secured by fasteners to the valley portions of the roof panels at the ends of the roof panels, and each valley portion has a lip projecting downwardly into the gutter. Tapered closure panels fill the corrugations above the inner wall of the gutter and have edge flanges crimped to the end portions of the roof panels.

Abstract: A holder for use in building construction for holding anchor bolts, rebar, in-concrete plumbing, and the like, in predetermined positions during the pouring of concrete therearound The holder is molded in one piece from a suitable plastic and includes an elongated base plate, the front end which has an end hole therethrough; a sleeve projecting from the base plate over the end bole; elongated first and second re-enforcing side ribs providing from the base plate and connected to the sleeve; an end rib partially wrapped around the sleeve and integrally joining the sleeve and the forward ends of the side ribs where they meet the sleeve; a center rib projecting from the base plate between the side ribs and also connected to the sleeve; webs projecting from the base plate, interconnecting the side and center ribs, and having nail holes therethrough, and preferably also including an end plate.

Abstract: A device for forming a framework of a wooden building including a steel pipe, screw bar, joint, bolt and joint stick. The steel pipe is tightly inserted in a hole formed at the top edge and/or the bottom edge of a vertical post. The screw bar connects two vertical posts in series as an upper half thereof is screwed into a screw hole of a steel pipe inserted into the bottom edge of a vertical post, while a lower half thereof is screwed into a screw hole of a steel pipe inserted into the top edge of a vertical post positioned below the former vertical post. The joint comprises a base portion and a flange portion oriented at a right angle with respect to the from base portion. The bolt passes through a hole of the base portion of the joint and a hole of the vertical post and is screwed into a screw hole of the steel pipe to secure the joint to the vertical post.

Abstract: A angular interlocking floor tile is provided with a generally flat top surface, a parallel bottom surface, wherein the tile includes two elongated sides which converge to a point or short inner side at one end and which sides diverge at an internal angle of less than 90.degree. to be joined at their other ends by a beveled outer edge surface. The elongated sides are formed with a plurality of female cavities located adjacent to each of the sides. Each of the female cavities is positioned to mate with a corresponding male connecting member of a neighboring tile of a runner mat whereby the runner mat is able to make variety of turns. Alternatively, each of the elongated sides may be formed with an additional integral interlocking strip having male connecting members which may be used to mate with a corresponding female cavities of a neighboring tile. When the interlocking strip is not needed it may be removed.

Abstract: A masonry reinforcement system includes a number of tensioning rods extending from the top to the bottom of a masonry wall structure in spaced columns. In each column, several rod segments are interconnected at each floor diaphragm using a double conical connector assembly. In portions of the wall structure where rod columns cannot be placed, such as window regions, spring tensioning assemblies are installed using a similar double conical connector assembly. Each type of connector assembly is embedded in a pocket formed in the masonry wall structure using a hardenable grout. After installation, the rods are post-tensioned to provide a compressive axial load to the masonry wall structure. The spring tensioner assemblies are tensioned prior to applying the grout to the void in the wall.

Abstract: A window assembly of the type having at least one sash which is slidably mounted between a pair of jambs defining a window case, wherein the sash includes jamb-engaging side members (i.e., stiles) which have generally flat edges. The flat or flush sides of the sash stiles allow the sash to be easily pivoted away from the plane of the window case, without pushing on, or deforming, the jamb liners, thus overcoming problems generally associated with conventional sash having recess or plows configured to be interfitted with protruding ridge-like channels projecting outwardly from the jambs, as is typically the case with wood-frame windows. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, weatherstrips are mounted to each of the jamb liners to provide weathersealing engagement between the jamb liners and the sash stiles at the sides of the windows.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for laying and mechanically joining building panels, especially thin, hard, floating floors. Adjacent joint edges (3, 4) of two panels (1, 2) engage each other to provide a first mechanical connection locking the joint edges (3, 4) in a first direction (D1) perpendicular to the principal plane of the panels. In each joint, there is further provided a strip (6) which is integrated with one joint edge (3) and which projects behind the other joint edge (4). The strip (6) has an upwardly protruding locking element (8) engaging in a locking groove (14) in the rear side (16) of the other joint edge (4) to form a second mechanical connection locking the panels (1, 2) in a second direction (D2) parallel to the principal plane of the panels and at right angles to the joint. Both the first and the second mechanical connection allow mutual displacement of joined panels (1, 2) in the direction of the joint.

Abstract: Wood flooring panel is made of a plurality of parallel longitudinal wood slats situated side by side, with the slats being of the same length but staggered in their longitudinal positions. A tambour backing is adhesively secured to a back side of the slats to hold the slats together as a panel. The tambour backing is made of a material that is inextensible in the longitudinal and lateral directions, but flexible to permit bending at joints defined between said wood slats. There are clips or tabs affixed onto the back surfaces of the respective slats at the front ends. These extend about a half-inch beyond the forward ends of the respective slats. The tambour can be secured with a hot melt adhesive. The clips can be formed of rectangles of fish paper. The clips prevent the flooring adhesive from coming between the front ends of the slats of one panel slats and the rear ends of the next panel slats. The clips also help align the ends of the corresponding slats or fingers of the two panels.

Abstract: An automatic umbrella includes: a central shaft consisting of four tubes telescopically engageable with one another; a rib assembly consisting of at least a top rib pivotally secured to a top portion of the central shaft, a stretcher rib pivotally connected with the top rib and a lower runner slidably held on the central shaft, and several ribs pivotally connected to the top rib and the stretcher rib; an opening spring resiliently retained in the central shaft for opening the umbrella; a plurality of closing springs secured on the rib assembly for closing the umbrella; and a control device consisting of an upper roller rotatably mounted on an upper portion of the central shaft, a lower roller rotatably secured on the lower runner and an uppermost roller rotatably secured on a top portion of the shaft for continuously deflectively winding a rope of the control device on the rollers for making an automatic umbrella of quadruple folds or the like.

Abstract: Floor covering, including hard floor panels (1) which, at least at the edges of two opposite sides (2-3, 26-27), are provided with coupling parts (4-5, 28-29), cooperating which each other, substantially in the form of a tongue (9-31) and a groove (10-32), wherein the coupling parts (4-5, 28-29) are provided with integrated mechanical locking elements (6) which prevent the drifting apart of two coupled floor panels in a direction (R) perpendicular to the related edges (2-3, 26-27) and parallel to the underside (7) of the coupled floor panels (1).

Abstract: A panel assembly including two pairs of panels disposed in spaced parallel relationship lying in common planes with the coplanar panels of each pair having adjacent edges with similarly configured protrusions extending along their adjacent edges, and the protrusions on each of the panels of a pair extend towards each other. A connector is disposed between the pairs of panels and has a large recess in one face thereof which seats the protrusions on the panels disposed in one plane. The opposite face of the connector has a pair of spaced recesses therein which seat the protrusions on the panels disposed in the other plane.

Abstract: A multi-purpose, positioning and fastening strap is disclosed for use in the construction of building structures. The strap is made from a flexible, durable, non-stretchable material and has a high breaking load. The strap is usable for various construction applications, such as, the fastening or holding down of tar or felt paper on a roof, the laying down of shingles on a roof, the erection of a trussing structure for a roof, the construction of a floor structure, etc. The durability and breaking load of the multi-purpose strap are critical physical characteristics which are necessary for its use in the aforementioned various construction applications.

Abstract: An improved partition wall material including a skeletal material, partition boards, and fastening plates. The skeletal material is an elongated extruded structure including a beam at a central portion thereof, and two skeletal projections respectively connected to two ends of the beam, each skeletal projection having two ends that respectively bend outwardly to form respective projection ends. Each projection end is connected to a frame. Each frame includes a frame projection provided with a pair of opposed frame hooks, each of which has a curved portion. The skeletal projection and the frames on both sides thereof defining a frame recess. The partition boards are planar boards including a plurality of locking holes arranged along a longitudinal axis thereof.

Abstract: A glass block construction kit comprises a peripheral frame with inwardly directed lips on its opposite sides and an interior frame having an outer wall held by the lips on the peripheral frame. The peripheral frame is made from a plastic material such as vinyl and the like while the interior frame is made of a more rigid material. The interior frame also includes a plurality of frame members which form glass block pockets. Glass block retainers are mounted on both sides of each frame member. These retainers are again made of plastic, preferably the same material used in forming the peripheral frame.

Abstract: A brace structure includes a top plate of a wood-frame structure with a first plate vertically oriented on one side of the top plate and a second plate vertically oriented on the other side of the top plate. Two strips extend between the first edge and the second edge across the top plate. The strips include a space therebetween for passage of utility conduits. The plates have flanges for strength along the edges connecting the two strips. The plates also have fasteners therethrough and into the top plate.

Abstract: A truss pitch break connector plate having a main body portion. A first stiffener flange projects generally perpendicular from one face of said main body portion along an arcuate first edge having an outer radius. A second stiffener flange projects generally perpendicular from the opposite face of the main body portion along a arcuate second edge having inner radius. The main body portion preferably is generally sector-shaped but alternatively it may be circular. The overall arrangement is such that the pitch break connector plate will accommodate top chords of different sizes; and is capable of maintaining the top chords at any one of a range of roof pitches.