System for Forming a Movable Slab Foundation
A system for forming a movable slab foundation has a slab foundation, a support pier, and a housing positioned within the support pier. A support sleeve is positioned within and is substantially surrounded by the housing. Portions of the support sleeve are encased within the slab foundation. The support sleeve is capable of axial movement relative to the housing. A guide plate is connected to the lower end of the support sleeve. A cavity is defined by the space between the guide plate and the lower end of the housing. A port is located in and extends through the guide plate and into the cavity. The slab foundation, the support sleeve, and the guide plate are raised to a desired height relative to the housing. The cavity is filled with support media through the port to secure the position of the slab foundation, the support sleeve, and the guide plate.
This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/262,454, filed on Nov. 18, 2009, and herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates in general to forming an adjustable foundation, and in particular, to a concrete slab foundation capable of being raised above the ground.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONMany structures have been built on foundations or slabs made of concrete poured on top of soil. Constant changes in the weather and moisture levels in the soil frequently cause damage to such a foundation. In many instances, the foundation may buckle or even crack. This phenomenon occurs for a variety of reasons, including uneven changes in the water content of supporting soils, uneven compacting of soils, and uneven loads being placed on soils. Over time, uneven movement in the soils under a foundation can cause a foundation to bend or crack.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus that would allow a foundation to be poured on top of soil and subsequently raised to a desired height to eliminate potential problems caused by soil movement and/or problematic soils.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn embodiment of the system for forming a movable slab foundation as comprised by the present invention has a slab foundation, at least one support pier, and at least one housing positioned within the at least one support pier. The at least one housing has an open upper end and a closed lower end. At least one support sleeve is positioned within and is substantially surrounded by the at least one housing. Portions of the at least one support sleeve are encased within the slab foundation. The at least one support sleeve is capable of movement relative to the at least one housing. A guide plate is connected to the at least one support sleeve. The outer peripheries of the guide plate engage the inner surfaces of the at least one housing. A cavity is defined by the space between the lower surface of the guide plate and the lower end of the at least one housing. At least one port is located in and extends through the guide plate and into the cavity.
An embodiment of the system for forming a movable slab foundation as comprised by the present invention has a slab foundation and at least one support pier. A first cylinder with an open upper end and a closed lower end is positioned within the at least one support pier. A second cylinder with a diameter less than the diameter of the first cylinder is surrounded by the first cylinder. An interstitial space is defined by the space between the first cylinder and the second cylinder. The lower end of the second cylinder is connected to the closed lower end of the first cylinder. Lower portions of at least one support sleeve are positioned in the interstitial space between the first cylinder and the second cylinder. Upper portions of the at least one support sleeve are encased within the slab foundation. The at least one support sleeve is capable of movement relative to the at least one housing. A guide plate is connected to the at least one support sleeve and is positioned within the interstitial space between the first cylinder and the second cylinder. The outer peripheries of the guide plate engage the inner surfaces of the first cylinder. An aperture is located in and extends through the guide plate. The second cylinder extends through the aperture, and thus, the guide plate surrounds the second cylinder. A cavity is defined by the space between the lower surface of the guide plate and the closed lower end of the first cylinder. At least one port is located in and extends through the guide plate and into the cavity. A lifting device is connected to the at least one support sleeve to move the at least one support sleeve and the slab foundation axially along the length of the first cylinder and the second cylinder.
An embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method for forming a movable slab foundation. The method comprises providing a housing with a closed lower end and an open upper end. A guide plate is positioned within and surrounded by the housing. The outer peripheries of the guide plate are engaged with the inner surfaces of the housing. A cavity is defined by the space between the closed lower end of the housing and the lower surface of the guide plate. A support sleeve is connected to the upper surface of the guide plate, and a port is located in and extends through the guide plate and into the cavity. A support pier is placed below an intended slab foundation area. The housing, the guide plate, and the support sleeve are positioned within the support pier. A slab foundation is formed such that it encases a portion of the support sleeve. The support sleeve, the guide plate, and the slab foundation are raised upwards relative to the housing to a desired height. The cavity is filled with a support media through the port to support the weight of the support sleeve, the guide plate, and the slab, thereby securing the position of the support sleeve, the guide plate, and the slab relative to the housing.
So that the manner in which the features and benefits of the invention, as well as others which will become apparent, may be understood in more detail, a more particular description of the invention briefly summarized above may be had by reference to the embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings, which form a part of this specification. It is also to be noted, however, that the drawings illustrate only various embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of the invention's scope as it may include other effective embodiments as well.
The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiment set forth herein; rather, this embodiment is provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
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The length of the support sleeve 25 may be varied depending upon the desired final height of the slab foundation 11. Reinforcing bars (rebar) 33 are connected to the outer surface of the sleeve 25. In this embodiment, a first leg 35 of the rebar 33 is connected to the outer surface of the sleeve 25 and extends parallel to the axis of the sleeve 25. A second leg 37 of the rebar 33 extends outwardly and downwardly at an angle from a bottom end of the first leg 35. The rebar 33 may be welded around the outer peripheries of the sleeve 25 at desired intervals. In an alternate embodiment, various reinforcing members may be connected to the outer peripheries of the sleeve 25 in various shapes and configurations.
A plurality of lift holes or apertures 39 are located in and extend radially outward through an inner surface 41 of the support sleeve 25. In this particular embodiment, two lift holes 39 are positioned opposite from one another. The lift holes 39 are designed to accept a lifting device or lifting link.
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The invention has significant advantages. The invention provides a method and apparatus that allows a foundation to be poured on top of soil and subsequently raised to a desired height to eliminate potential problems caused by soil movement and/or problematic soils.
In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed a typical preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, the terms are used in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. The invention has been described in considerable detail with specific reference to these illustrated embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that various modifications and changes can be made within the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the foregoing specification and as set forth in the following claims.
Claims
1. A system for forming a movable slab foundation, the system comprising:
- a slab foundation;
- at least one support pier;
- at least one housing positioned within the at least one support pier, the at least one housing having an open upper end and a closed lower end;
- at least one support sleeve positioned within and substantially surrounded by the at least one housing, portions of the at least one support sleeve being encased within the slab foundation, the at least one support sleeve being upwardly moveable relative to the at least one housing;
- a guide plate connected to the at least one support sleeve, the outer peripheries of the guide plate engaging the inner surfaces of the at least one housing;
- a cavity defined by the space between the lower surface of the guide plate and the lower end of the at least one housing; and
- at least one port located in and extending through the guide plate and into the cavity.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein:
- the at least one housing is cylindrical in shape;
- the at least one support sleeve is cylindrical in shape; and
- the guide plate is circular in shape.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one housing further comprises:
- a first cylinder with an open upper end and a closed lower end; and
- a second cylinder having a diameter less than the diameter of the first cylinder, the second cylinder being surrounded by the first cylinder, thereby defining an interstitial space between the first cylinder and the second cylinder, and the lower end of the second cylinder being connected to the closed lower end of the first cylinder.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein:
- the guide plate further comprises an aperture located in and extending therethrough, the second cylinder extending through the aperture, the guide plate surrounding the second cylinder; and
- the at least one support sleeve and the guide plate positioned within the interstitial space between the first cylinder and the second cylinder of the at least one housing.
5. The system of claim 4, further comprising:
- at least one lifting member surrounded by the second cylinder, the at least one lifting member having a body with first and second ends, the first end abuttingly contacting the closed lower end of the first cylinder, the second end adapted to be coupled to a lifting device to move the at least one support sleeve and the slab foundation axially along the length of the at least one housing.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the system further comprises:
- a lifting device coupled to the second end of the body of the at least one lifting member to move the at least one support sleeve and the slab foundation axially along the length of the at least one housing; and
- a plurality of attachment members connected to and extending between the least one support sleeve and the lifting device.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one support sleeve further comprises:
- a hollow body with inner and outer surfaces, the outer surface having at least one reinforcing bar connected to and extending outwardly therefrom, the inner surface having at least one aperture located in and extending therethrough and adapted to accept a connecting member.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one reinforcing bar further comprises:
- a first leg connected to the outer surface of the at least one support sleeve and extending parallel to the axis of the at least one support sleeve; and
- a second leg connected to the lower end of the first leg and extending outwardly and downwardly at angle from the axis of the at least one support sleeve.
9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:
- a pumping device connected to the at least one port for pumping a support media into the cavity to support the weight of the at least one support sleeve, the guide plate, and the slab, thereby securing the position of the at least one support sleeve, the guide plate, and the slab relative to the at least one housing.
10. A system for forming a movable slab foundation, the system comprising:
- a slab foundation;
- at least one support pier;
- a first cylinder with an open upper end and a closed lower end positioned within the at least one support pier;
- a second cylinder having a diameter less than the diameter of the first cylinder, the second cylinder being surrounded by the first cylinder, thereby defining an interstitial space between the first cylinder and the second cylinder, the lower end of the second cylinder being connected to the closed lower end of the first cylinder;
- at least one support sleeve, a lower portion of the at least one support sleeve positioned in the interstitial space between the first cylinder and the second cylinder, an upper portion of the at least one support sleeve being encased within the slab foundation, the at least one support sleeve being upwardly moveable relative to the at least one housing;
- a guide plate connected to the at least one support sleeve and positioned within the interstitial space between the first cylinder and the second cylinder, the outer peripheries of the guide plate engaging the inner surfaces of the first cylinder, an aperture located in and extending through the guide plate, the second cylinder extending through the aperture, the guide plate surrounding the second cylinder;
- a cavity defined by the space between the lower surface of the guide plate and the closed lower end of the first cylinder;
- at least one port located in and extending through the guide plate and into the cavity; and
- a lifting device connected to the at least one support sleeve to move the at least one support sleeve, the guide plate, and the slab foundation axially along the length of the first cylinder and the second cylinder.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein:
- the at least one housing is cylindrical in shape;
- the at least one support sleeve is cylindrical in shape; and
- the guide plate is circular in shape.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein the system further comprises:
- at least one lifting member substantially surrounded by the second cylinder, the at least one lifting member having a body with first and second ends, the first end abuttingly contacting the closed lower end of the first cylinder; and
- the second end of the body of the at least one lifting member connected to the lifting device.
13. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one support sleeve further comprises:
- a hollow body with inner and outer surfaces, the outer surface having at least one reinforcing bar connected to and extending outwardly therefrom, the inner surface having at least one aperture located in and extending therethrough and adapted to accept a connecting member.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one reinforcing bar further comprises:
- a first leg connected to the outer surface of the at least one support sleeve and extending parallel to the axis of the at least one support sleeve; and
- a second leg connected to the lower end of the first leg and extending outwardly and downwardly at angle from the axis of the at least one support sleeve.
15. The system of claim 10, further comprising:
- a pumping device connected to the at least one port for pumping a support media into the cavity to support the weight of the at least one support sleeve, the guide plate, and the slab foundation, thereby securing the position of the at least one support sleeve, the guide plate, and the slab foundation relative to the first cylinder and the second cylinder.
16. A method for forming a movable slab foundation, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a housing with a closed lower end and an open upper end, a guide plate positioned within and surrounded by the housing, the outer peripheries of the guide plate being engaged with the inner surfaces of the housing, a cavity defined by the space between the closed lower end of the housing and the lower surface of the guide plate, a support sleeve connected to the upper surface of the guide plate, and a port located in and extending through the guide plate and into the cavity;
- (b) placing a support pier below an intended slab foundation area;
- (c) positioning the housing, the guide plate, and the support sleeve within the support pier;
- (d) forming a slab foundation such that it encases a portion of the support sleeve; and
- (e) raising the support sleeve, the guide plate, and the slab foundation upwards relative to the housing to a desired height; and
- (f) filling the cavity with a support media through the port to support the weight of the support sleeve, the guide plate, and the slab, thereby securing the position of the support sleeve, the guide plate, and the slab relative to the housing.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein step (a) further comprises:
- providing an aperture located in and extending through the guide plate; and wherein
- step (e) further comprises:
- inserting a lifting member with first and second ends through the aperture, the first end of the lifting member abuttingly contacting the closed lower end of the housing; and
- connecting a lifting device to the second end of the lifting member and the support sleeve.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the support pier is of concrete; and
- wherein step (c) of the method further comprises allowing the concrete support pier to set up, thereby encasing the housing in the support pier.
19. The method of claim 16, further comprising after step (f):
- allowing the support media to set up, thereby securing the position of the support sleeve, the guide plate, and the slab foundation relative to the housing.
20. The method of claim 16, further comprising after step (f):
- sealing the port, thereby securing the position of the support sleeve, the guide plate, and the slab foundation relative to the housing.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 12, 2010
Publication Date: May 19, 2011
Inventors: Frederick S. Marshall (Arlington, TX), David A. Bryan (Plano, TX)
Application Number: 12/945,462