Abstract: An entryway system includes an elongated threshold assembly and a pair of plastic jamb boots attached to the ends of the threshold assembly. The jamb boots have flat level upper faces and a pair of jambs having square-cut bottoms are secured to the jamb boots and extend upwardly from the threshold assembly. A head jamb completes a door frame. The jamb boots may be formed with integral drains that receive water from within the threshold cap channel of the threshold assembly and direct it away from the entryway. The plastic jamb boots prevent rotting and eliminate the need to mill the bottoms of jambs with haunches configured to fit the threshold assembly. Plastic mull post boots also are provided for supporting square-cut bottom mull posts in sidelight or double door entryways.

Abstract: A workspace display for open plan spaces includes a partition with a plurality of freestanding partition walls configured to divide a building space into at least one workspace. The workspace has an opening permitting user ingress and egress, and the partition has a height lower than a ceiling height to form a gap between a top edge of the partition and a ceiling. The workspace display includes a dry erasable whiteboard secured to the partition, and a video device is mounted to the partition in a generally overhead position in optical communication with the whiteboard, such that an occupant of the workspace can electronically manipulate images on the whiteboard.

Abstract: An infoboard having at least one board part intended for an imprint, the infoboard comprising a frame carrying the at least one board part, the frame near an underside being firmly connected with the base, which base has such a weight that the infoboard is only movable by means of a lifting crane.

Abstract: A support for steps, having the shape of a triangular corner plate to be installed one after the other along a stringer. The sides of this support are reinforced, horizontally and vertically by a 90 degree fold, to fix the steps and risers. The ends are wider and possess a number of fixing holes to provide more stability when fixed against a stringer. The horizontal side is ended by a projecting horizontal rule. The wide part of the vertical side is flanked by vertical graduations. The horizontal rule is set against a stringer at a desired step run and the vertical graduations are set against the stringer at a desired step rise. The horizontal rule overlaps the vertical graduations of the preceding support.

Abstract: A masonry wall system is disclosed incorporating a plurality of courses of masonry blocks, each block has vertical and horizontal interlocking structures with mating surfaces (11, 15, 16, 17). The main block, has a stabilizing slot. Metal reinforcement tendons are inserted into these stabilizing holes (14) at predetermined intervals and connected to the wall at the top and bottom. Corner blocks (26) are employed to connect the walls at right angles and are used in alternating configurations to staggered the vertical joints from course to course. This is also done with the main blocks. The predetermined tolerances between the masonry components and the reenforcing tendons permit the wall to have a fluid property. Forces such as settling, hydrostatic pressure and seismic disturbances are then automatically absorbed and systematically distributed across the entire wall. When all of the masonry components reach the end of their tolerance, the wall locks up as a solid interconnected mass.

Abstract: Lap beam connectors for allowing two beams to be joined together without having to use external fasteners such as screws. Each beam has at least one internal pair of receptacles for slidably receiving each end of a plate therein. The plate can be secured to inner walls of the beams by a crimping tool, and the like. The plate allows the weight of the beams and any structure being built to be distributed over the length of the beam instead of just being directly on the ends of the beams. The receptacles can be substantially U-shaped with triangular shaped sidewalls. Another part of the invention allows for attaching two U-shaped beam half sections together by having a nesting ledges/receptacles on at least one of the legs of one beam half sections. While the legs of each beam half overlapped against each other, the nesting ledges/receptacles hold the beam half legs to be held to fixed locations.

Abstract: The reinforcing holder against vibrations has the vibration-proof performance further enhanced as compared with prior art so that a wooden building is not broken down even if strong vibrations are loaded by an earthquake, a typhoon or the like. The reinforcing holder against vibrations 1 comprises an L-shaped base member 2 formed by bending a plate and formed with curved and projecting parts 5a and 5b which are curved inward in intermediate parts of both piece parts 2a and 2b, a reinforcing member 3 formed by bending a plate and placed in contact with a bent part of the L-shaped base member 2, and absorbing members 4 formed of rubber material which has excellent elastic characteristics and water resistance and stopped at a plurality of locations of the L-shaped base member 2. When the reinforcing member 3 is placed in contact with the L-shaped base member 2, a clearance 10 is formed between a bent corner part 3c of the reinforcing member 3 and a bent corner part 2c of the L-shaped member 2.

Abstract: A floor tile structure, provided that a surface layer and a bottom layer are attached respectively on the upper and the lower surfaces of the soft double-sided adhesive tape with pressure sensitivity, wherein the surface layer is possibly made of ceramic, rock, metal or other hard material and the periphery is a smooth cross-section; and, the bottom layer is a hard adhesive layer, wherein the continuous periphery is concave relative to the periphery and the other opposite continuous periphery is complementarily convex; further, the concave periphery is buried in the inner edge of the periphery of the surface layer and the convex periphery is protruded to the outer edge of the periphery of the surface layer; as for the two floor tiles with the above-mentioned structure, with the adhesive layer in the convex site on the bottom layer being attached with the concave periphery on the bottom layer of the other floor tile, the tiles can be laterally apposed to pave on the working floor.

Abstract: Lightweight, reinforced, non-biodegradable, tubular plastic footing form members and assemblies which may contain stake-engaging bores and/or are nailable to each other and/or to supporting stakes. The form members are water-repellant to resist absorbing and bonding to wet concrete compositions so that they can be removed and cleaned for repeated reuse. Alternatively they can be left in place, since they are inexpensive and non-biodegradable, and can support a porous drain conduit adjacent the formed footing.

Abstract: A window assembly for garage doors with hingedly mounted panels. The assembly includes resilient male and female frame members that are brought towards each other to sandwich the borders of the door panel defining the window opening and the cooperatively dimensioned transparent panel. The male frame member includes, adjacent to its peripheral inner end, a peripherally extending leg member that is lockingly received within a cooperative channel notch on the transparent panel. The engagement of the leg member to the channel member permits certain deformation to be transmitter to the resilient male and female frame members. Fastening members are used to keep the male and female frame members securely against each other.

Abstract: Building element having two parallel welded wire grid mats (1, 2), of straight web wires (7) which hold the wire grid mats at a predetermined distance apart and are joined at each end to the two wire grid mats. An insulating body (8) is arranged between the wire grid mats, through which the web wires pass. At least one of the wire grid mats is in the form of a grid reinforcement mat which possesses a minimum strength of the weld nodes which complies with the static requirements applicable to the building element, corresponding mechanical strength of the grid mat wires (3, 4) and also corresponding diameters and mutual spacings of the grid mat wires. The web wires are arranged in predetermined directions relative to the wire grid mats, and the insulating body is held at a predetermined distance from each of the wire grid mats.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for lifting and leveling an existing building from a position underneath the existing building. At least a first non-cylindrical support section having a substantially rectangular shape and first and second ends is located within the earth at a position underneath the existing building. A cap support section is placed in contact with the second end of the first non-cylindrical support section. A jack is disposed on the upper side of the cap support section and raised until the foundation of the existing building has been lifted to a desired height. The non-cylindrical support section has low bearing and high friction characteristics. The low bearing characteristics enable the apparatus to be driven further into the earth than cylindrical pilings that are commonly used to lift and level existing buildings. The high friction characteristics assist in maintaining the stability of the apparatus once it has been installed.

Abstract: A dome constructing method comprising the steps of assembling a triangular frame, which is the fundamental unit for a polyhedral skeleton, by using three joints and three frame members with the three joints used as the apexes and the three frame members used as the sides and with the triangular frame in contact with the ground, assembling new triangular frames around the ground-contacting triangular frame by using similar frame members and joints, thereby assembling the polyhedral skeleton of a multipyramid, such as pentagonal pyramid or hexagonal pyramid, with one joint that is positioned at one apex in the ground-contacting triangular frame being used as the apex and with the ground-contacting triangular frame used as one surface, wherein each time the polyhedral skeleton for the multipyramid is thus assembled, the same is turned to bring a new triangular frame other than the ground-contacting triangular frame into contact with the ground and then the assembling operation is repeated to assemble a polyhedra

Abstract: A gutter protection system and method of installation is provided. In a first aspect, the gutter protection system includes a gutter cover having an upper portion and a lower portion, with the lower portion having a nose portion including a return portion that is bent downward and backward substantially toward a center region of the gutter to guide a water stream into the gutter, and a bracket for holding the gutter cover, with the bracket having a lower portion engaging the gutter and an upper portion extending above the gutter and engaging the lower portion of the gutter cover, wherein the bracket holds the gutter cover in position in relation to the gutter so that the upper portion of the gutter cover is positioned over a roof and the lower portion is positioned over the gutter at a predetermined angle.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and kit for repairing a construction component that has a damaged portion. First, the damaged portion is removed from the construction component. Next, a durable portion is provided that is preferably comprised of a cellulosic/polymer composite material which is moisture, decay, and insect resistant. The durable portion preferably has about the same shape as the damaged portion. The durable portion is then connected to the construction component to replace the damaged portion. The materials for repairing the construction component may be provided in a single kit.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for lifting and leveling an existing building from a position underneath the existing building. At least a first non-cylindrical support section having a substantially rectangular shape and first and second ends is located within the earth at a position underneath the existing building. A vertically-adjustable cap is placed in contact with the second end of the first non-cylindrical support section. A jack is disposed on an upper surface of a lower side of the cap and raised until an upper surface of an upper side of the cap is exerting pressure against the foundation of the existing building. The jack is then raised, thereby raising the cap, until the foundation has been raised to a desired height. The cap is the locked so that it will not move in the vertical directions and the jack is lowered and removed. If the building subsequently needs to be re-leveled, raised or lowered, the cap can be unlocked and vertically adjusted to an appropriate height.

Abstract: A thermally insulating window is provided having at least two glass panes having a space therebetween and at least one frame-shaped spacing member secured to the at least two glass panes within that space.

Abstract: In a structure for installing a viscous vibration-damping wall 1, the viscous vibration-damping wall 1 is constructed such that a housing 16 with its upper end open is formed by uprightly setting a pair of steel-made side plates 15 on a base plate 8 and by disposing a pair of flange plates 11 on both sides of the pair of side plates, an intermediate plate 13 is inserted in the housing 16, and a viscous material or a viscoelastic material is placed in its gap portion. In order to install the viscous vibration-damping wall 1, a flange of a lower-floor girder 3 is provided with base-plate connecting portions and a pair of flange connecting plates 7, and the base plate 8 and the flange plates 11 are connected thereto, and the intermediate plate 13 is directly connected to a gusset plate 12 fixed to a flange of an upper-floor girder 4. Consequently, the dispersion of the stress is rationalized, and the reduction of constituent members is attained.

Abstract: Apparatus for preventing flood water entering a building through a wall opening has a first member for permanent attachment to the wall and second member detachably fixed to the first member. The first member has a frame having first fixing mechanism and two upright members for permanent fixing to the wall around the opening and a third member bowed away from the building and having a flat upper surface. The second member has a curved member with circumferential flanges and a second fixing mechanism engaging the first fixing mechanism. Two flanges extend outwardly from the curved member, and third flange is perpendicular to flanges and to the curved member. The flanges fit flat against the members of the frame through a gasket with the third flange extending horizontally on top of the third member forming a step.

Abstract: A robust portable building for use by persons for meetings, classroom use, entertainment facilities, trade show displays, or for human habitation, which provides an entry height of only seventeen inches above ground surface and which has the look, feel, and strength of a permanent structure. The building will withstand tornadic and hurricane level winds without the requirement of tie downs or permanent installation on a foundation. The structural members of the building are primarily steel components. A rigid steel frame is supported on pairs of steel rollers each of which has a diameter which is approximately equal in size to its surface width. All structural components are screwed or welded at their junctions with other structural components. A sheet of aluminum is mechanically fixed to the upper sides of the floor joists, over which are placed additional flooring layers. Each layer is fastened securely to the floor joists.