US1562430A - Means for and method of moving buildings - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 24l 1925;

O. ALEXANDER MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF MOVING BUILDINGS 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 8, 1925 Nav. 24, 1925. l 1,562,430

' O. ALEXANDER MEANS FOR AND METHO OF MOVING BU ILDINGS Filed Jan. 8, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IM fhilll' 'Nimh' Alm. mi l IHM 1,562,430 o. ALEXANDER MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF MOVINGBUILINGS 'Filed Jan. a, v1925- 4 sheets-sheet Nov. 24, 1925.

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O. ALEXANDER MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF MOVING BUILDINGS VFiled Jan. 8. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 0pm ALExA/vafp Patented Nov. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES ORION ALEXANDER, OF SOUTH AKRON, OHIO.

MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF MOVING BUILDINGS.

Application led January 8, 1925.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ORION ALEXANDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Means for and Methods of Moving Buildings, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

My invention pertains to the art of mov- `ing buildings and more particularly relates to an improved method of transferring the weight of the building from the previous foundation, first, to a structure adapted to travel and then after removal to a new site, redepositing the load upon its new foundation. The invention furthermore comprehends an improved method for accomplislr ing a separating movement between the intended traveling structure and that portion of the buildings foundation which is to be removed along with it whereby the exertion of a uniform lifting action may be accomplished with greater accuracyT and facility.

So far as my knowledge extends, formed by continuous business experience over a period of several decades, it has heretofore been the practise to build up a maze of cribbing under `the building, place jacks on the cribbing, longitudinal beams on the jacks, cross beams on the longitudinal beams, needles on `the cross beams and finally wedges or shims between the needles and the foundation wall at points defining the tops of holes broken out of the foundation. Then after the weight of the building had been transferred to the assembled structure following the lifting action of the jacks, tracks were placed on the cribbing, loose roller bars placed across parallel tracks and the load in turn assumed by the rollers. That meant a double operation and successive support first by the composite structure including the jacks and second by structure including the rollers preparatory to movement of the building to its new site. Besides, reliance upon rollers so used encountered ditliculties which were a constant source of trouble and attendant risk. The trouble could be overcome and the risk avoided only by a large number of trained and attentive employees, in consequence of which the labor `cost item Serial No. 1,294.

to be reckoned has always been large. The

weight of a building is not uniformly distributed over the area which it covers nor the load the same upon all parts of its foundation. For instance, there is usually less weight toward the middle of the building. Because of that fact the rollers had a `perverse habit of shifting out of place and therefore required constant watching so that if any `became loose, due to momentarily not sharing in the support of the total load, they could be restored toy properly spaced position and substantially parallel alinement, with their axes at right angles to the direction of the intended movement `to be given to the building.V Several rows of tracks were ordinarily required and the rollers of the several rows had to be rather closely spaced apart, from which it may be realized that the number of rollers required to be used was large. It was scarcely possible to anticipate which particular roller or rollers might not stay in place to functionate properly, which explains the source of trouble. On the, other hand, ifthe load was not uniformly sustained the risk of a local sag occurred and disruption of the walls of the building. The object-ions to the rollers was naturally greater in proportion t0. the distance which the building was to be moved. Moreover, it is frequently desired or required, in moving a building from one site to another, that a change of elevation be effected, and manifestly, if it were attempted to move the building along an incline while supported on the rows of roller bars, the likelihood of displacement of the latter became greatly multiplied.

One object of my invention is to avoid the first or temporary support for the building and also the employment of the lifting jacks which have heretofore necessarily been a part Aof the apparatus. According to my present invention, tracks are directly established on a lower foundation and then, if the building is to be moved only a short distance, wooden blocks,ysay two and one-half inches thick, are placed thereon to carry the superstructure and then pointed rollers of somewhat larger diameter than the thickness of the blocks substituted for the blocks so as to be at once adapted to move the building. My preferred form improves by substituting for the roller ybars a series of small, but sturdy trucks interposed between the lower track rails and the composite superstructure of the carriage for the entire building. The trucks comprise flanged rollers and their number and spaced relation is dependent upon the size and weight of the building. The exemplification of the drawing discloses employment of eighteen distinct truck units. My preferred form even improves upon the method of cracking the foundation by an initial lifting action by employment of a series of adjustable yokes for effectingy the initial lifting action which is exerted to part the foundation of the building approximately at a predetermined mean horizontal plane. The drawings illustrate use of twenty-four composite yoke units. Y

To summarize; the tracks vare first laid under the building so as to extend through holes broken out of opposite ends of its foundation, then either some of the rollers or some of the trucks are placedon the tracks, next the longitudinal beams, cross beams and needles built thereon and the assembled structural unit or units rolled along preparatory to repeating the assembly and shifting of another unit or unit-s anduntil the required number has been completed and suitably tied together, following which the shims are wedged in and the adjustable yokes attached and caused to functionate.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. I is a plan section taken through the foundation of a building and showing it prepared for support and movement after the manner of my invention.

Fig. II is a front elevation of the lower .portion of one end of a brick building, under which mechanism for performing my method appears placed.

Fig. III is an enlarged partial front elevation of Figure II. p

Fig. IV is atop plan section taken on line IV-IV of Figure III.

Fig. V is a vertical section on line V-V of Figure III.

Fig. VI is a view similar to Figure V after the building vfoundation has been parted and the building lifted clear of the lower portion of its foundation.

Fig. VII is a top view of a modified form of lifting yoke.

Fig. VIII is a side elevation of Fig. VII. Fig. IX is an end view of Fig. VIII.

Figs. X and XI are a fragmentary plan section and a fragmentary vertical cross section respectively illustrating a modification by reason of employment of adifferent roller element.

Directing attention rst to Figure II, where a base l is shown to support a foundation 2 of a building 2a; As exemplified, each end of thefoundation 2, first has three holes 3 cut into it commencing at the base 1 and extending upwardly to a point somewhat below the top of the foundation 2 where the top walls of the holes are preferably cut on a substantially horizontal plane and also preferably in the same horizontal lane. Each side wall of the building similar y has somewhat smaller holes 4 broken out of it, as illustrated,-each side wall being provided with six holes. It will be observed, upon inspection of Figure I, that the end holes 3 are alined in pairs, two at the middle and two just inside each of the two side walls of the foundation 2, and that the six side holes 4 in each side wall are equispaced with respect to each other, though the two end holes are somewhat nearer the end walls of the foundation 2. The two rows of holes 4 are alined in pairs crosswise of the building.

Three tracks, each comprising a pair of rails 5 are then laid upon the base l and extend, each track through two of the alined holes 3. Designed to travel upon the tracks are truck units each of which, as best revealed in Figure III, comprises a shaft 6 and a pair of flanged rollers 7. Mounted in any suitable manner upon the shaft 6, so as to permit rotation of the latter, is a block 8.

While the complete mainly gravitationally assembled structure, illustrated in Figure I, including interlaced longitudinal and crosswise extending elements, of course becomes a structural unit, it comprehends duplicated arrangements the total number of which it would be needless continually to refer to in the description. Accordingly, only so much of the entire assembly, as appears in Figures III and IV, will be completely described, because that will furnish a declaration of the novel principles involved. Figures III and IV disclose two pairs of truck units arranged one pair on each of two adjacent tracks and one truck of each pair on the inside and outside of an end building wall respectively. As exemplified in Figure I there are, of course, under one end wall three pairs of trucks on three tracks and sometimes in adapting my invention, for instance for exceptionally heavy buildings, two additional tracks might be laid outside of the lateral walls. of .the building, but the description of the portion shown in Figures III and IV should suffice.

Directing attention to Figures III and I V it will be seen that the blocks 8 of each pair of the four trucks to be considered, which vpair is designed to travel on a particular needles is a specialized term known to the art, though the needles are usually old car rails, somewhat shortened and they are so illustrated with one needle of each pair in its inverted position to save space and furnish a more even bearing. Fitted between the top surfaces of the needles and the upper walls of the foundation-wall-holes 3 are a pair of wedge blocks 12 and 13, purposed to exercise the function of shims and insertable in a manner which will be readily understood upon inspection of Figures V and VI. The dimensions of the blocks 12 and 13 will of course be determined by the amount of space between the tops of the needles 11 and the tops of the holes 3 and so that the blocks 12 and 13 may be tightly wedged into place.

To this stage in the proceedings a substitute sub-foundation for the building will have been established, but the load of the building will not yet have been transferred thereto, nor will that be possible until the foundation 2 has been parted to create the line of break so marked in Figure III. In order to effect the line of break in the foundation 2 close to the horizontal plane, in which the upper surfaces of the blocks 13 originally lay, I employ adjustable yoke units which will next be described, but since four duplicate yoke structures are disclosed in Figure IV it will not be necessary to describe more than one.

Each `complete adjustable yoke 01 individual lifting unit comprises a pair of bars 1-1 located along opposite sides'of the longitudinal beams 9 and. extending underneath the crossbeams 10 with each end projecting beyond the 'base of the beam 10. Each bar la has its middle portion formed as a raised boss 15 having a fiat upper surface adapted to engage the under surface of the crossbeam 10. Four bolts 16 are passed upwardly through suitable holes in the four ends of the two bars 1-t respectively and each vbolt carries a nut 17. Two other bars 18 extend across and project beyond longitudinal beams 9, one` on each side of the crossbeam 10. The bars 18 are similarly provided at their middle with bosses 19 which project downwardly instead of upwardly and rest upon the longitudinal beams 9. The bars 14 and 18 have both ends slotted as indicated by the reference numeral 2() so that an interjacent section oi'A the shank of each bolt may be caused to occupy one of the slots. A right-hand turning of the four nuts 17 will draw the heads of the bolts and hence the bars 14. upwardly thereby raising the crossbeam 10 off of the longitudinal beam 9, or 'from the position in which the crossbeam 10 is shown in Figure V to the ily effected by suitable cablesdrawn for-A ward in any desired manner, as by winding about a windlass. 4It will be understood that by suitably proportioning the height of the loading' structure according to a predetermined establishment of the rails 5 on an ineline, the building may be just as readily moved to higher or lower elevation.

Figures VIII, IX and X pertain to a. modification of the adjustable yoke appliance involving the use of wrought iron forks 21 in place of the castings 14, each fork being provided with a depending boss 22. Bolts 23 pass between the arms of the forks 21 and cooperate with nuts 24- and flanged washers 25.

Figures X and XI pertain to a modification in respect to another element employed in practising my invention, roller bars 26 being substituted for the truck units. As mentioned at the beginning ot' this specification, the use of roller bars is old, but they have never before been used on tracks occupying the lowermost supporting position. lVhile the roller bars 26 are not as satisfactory as the trucks for the long carries, they are quite satisfactory for short distances and have the advantage of being less expensive, lighter and therefore easy to handle. I provide roller bars pointed at one end 27, which enables me to dispense with the use of an equivalent to my adjustable yoke units according to the following procedure. IVooden blocks are first interposed between the tracks 5 and longitudinal I-beanis 9 and after the entire structure has been assembled under the building the roller bars 26, which are somewhat thicker,

Asay, one-half inch, are driven in, in substitution for the blocks (not shown) and the substitution of the required number of roller bars exerts an upward pressure sutiicient toy break the foundation walls. The point ends 27 are, of course, to facilitate driving the roller bars 26 into position. This procedure has also been in successful commercial operation.

I claim:

1. In a method of moving a building resting on a foundation, the steps of splitting the foundation approximately within a predetermined horizontal plane by exertion of a uniform lifting action distributed at selected points of two parts of a temporary supporting carriage.

2. The steps in a method of moving buildings resting on a foundation, which consists 1n providing a shiftable foundation, splitting the building foundation within an approximately horizontal plane by exertion of a uniform lifting action at distributed points along two parts of said shiftable foundation tending to raise the upper portion of said building foundation relative to said shift-able foundation.

The steps in a method of moving buildings which consists in providing tracks uniform lifting` action at distributed points until the foundation of the building is broken approximately within a horizontal plane and the load becomes sustained by said carriage structure and then .ca-using the controlled travel of said structure in a prescribed direction on said tracks.

5. The combination adapted for use in moving buildings comprising a movable structure Aand an adjustable device carried by said structure and including' a part adapted to be raised and lowered with reference to said structure.

G. The combination adapted for use i moving buildings comprising, a roller trucl a pair of members one of which rests crosswise upon the other and both carried b v said truck, a contrivancc'including parts pla-ced above and below said members, and means for 'adjusting said parts relatively to each other.

7. A structure adapted to exert a lifting action which includes a pair of members one of which gravitationally rests upon the other, together' with a composite yoke comprising a part passed underneath the upper of said members and another part resting upon the lower of said members and means for effecting a relative movement between said parts adapted to etiect a relative movement between said members.

8. A structure adapted to exert a lifting action which includes a pair of members one of which gravitationally rests upon the other, together' with a composite yoke comprising a pair of part-s passed imderneath the upper of said members and on opposite sides of the lower of said members and another pair of parts resting` upon the lowerl of said members on opposite sides of said upper member and means for effecting a separating movement between said pairs of parts whereby to raise the upper of said members.

9. A structure adapted for supporting andmoving buildings comprising in combination, a plurality of tracks, a plurality of trucks movable upon each of said tracks, longitudinal beams resting one on each pair of trucks which travel on one of said tracks, a cross beam resting upon said longitudinal beams,- and means carried by said trucks and adaptedL tok raise one of the sui-mounted elements with respect to another.

10. A structure adapted for supporting and moving buildings comprising in combination, a plurality ot' tracks, afplurality of trucks movable upon each of said tracks,

longitudinal beams resting on'a plurality of trucks which are disposed on one track, cross beams resting upon said longitudinal beams, and devices hung on said longitudinal beams and adapted to raise .a corresponding number of cross beams oli" the longitudinal beams.

1l. A structure adapted for supporting and moving buildings comprising in combination, aL plurality of parallel tracks, a plurality of trucks movable upon each of said tracks, longitudinal beams 'each of which rests on a plurality of trucks which are disposed to travel on one of said tracks, a cross beam resting upon two of said longitudinal beams which are over different tracks, and a contrivance including a pair of parts resting crosswise on said longitudinal beam on opposite sides of said cross beam together with a pair of parts extending parallel to said longitudinal beam and underneath said cross beam and adjustable connections between said parts adapted to lift said cross beam.

l2. A structure adapted for supporting and moving buildings comprising the combination of a pair of parallel rails, a plurality of trucks movable upon said rails, vbeams carried by said trucks and projected through holes in the fixed foundation of the building, means including a plurality of elements for filling the spaces between the top of said beams and the 'surfaces defining` the tops of said holes and means associated with said beams and adapted to raise'said elements with respect to the beams.

"13. A structure adapted for supporting and moving buildings con'iprising in coinbination, a pair of parallel. rails, a truck including` flanged rollers connected therewith and movable upon said rails, a beam resting on said truck and projected through a hole in the f'xed foundation of the building, another beam restingupon said first mentioned beam and projected through a distinct hole in the fixed foundation of the building and means connected with said beams and adapted to raise one with respect to the other.

14. In a contrivance adapted for moving a building, the combination of tracks disposed beneath the building, a roller truck designed to travel on said tracks, a structure carried by said truck, and means for raising one part of said structure relative to the truck. v

15. The steps in the method of moving buildings resting on a foundation which consists in providing a portable foundation under the building` and then splitting the building foundation approximately within an horizontal plane by exertion of a uniform lifting' action at distributed points caused by raising one of two elements, of a number of pairs of elements of said portable foundation, away from the other element of each pair.

16. The method of moving buildings resting on a foundation which consists in providing a rollable carrying structure under the building and then splitting the building foundation approximately within an hori- Zontal plane by exertion of a lifting adjustnient at distributed points on said structure thereby concurrently transferring the load to said rollable structure, and then causing said structure to travel.

17. A method of moving buildings resting on a foundation which comprises the step of placing a composite, temporary and movable structure underneath the building, the step of splitting' the foundation approximately within a predetermined horizontal plane by exertion of a uniform separating` action between pairs of parts of said structure distributed at selected points of the latter and then actuating said structure.

18. The steps in a method of moving buildings resting on a foundation which consists in providing under the building to be moved a track and a carriage adapted to travel on said track, splitting the building foundation close to a given horizontal plane by exertion of a lifting action at distributed points on the traveling foundation caused by raising one of two elements, of a number of pairs of elements of said foundation, away from the other element of each pair, said lifting action tending to separate said building foundation and to transfer the load of the building to said traveling foundation and then causing the load sustaining carriage to travel upon the track.

19. A method of moving buildings which consists in providing tracks thereunder, providing .a carriage structure including flanged rollers connected therewith and adapted to travel on said tracks, exerting a uniform lifting action at distributed points until the foundation of the building is broken approximately within a horizontal plane and the load becomes sustained -by said carriage structure and then causing the upper portion of the foundation with its superstructure to be conveyed along said tracks.

Signed by me, this 12th day of December, 1924.

ORION ALEXANDER.

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