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A building construction has a foundation, walls and a roof structure, the walls being wrapped by a reinforcement fabric, with the reinforcement fabric being connected to the foundation and the roof structure to tie the roof structure to the foundation for increased resistance to natural disasters. T

A building construction has a foundation, walls and a roof structure, the walls being wrapped by a reinforcement fabric, with the reinforcement fabric being connected to the foundation and the roof structure to tie the roof structure to the foundation for increased resistance to natural disasters. The connection of the reinforcement fabric to the roof structure includes a top rail having a connector plate attached to the roof structure and having an upwardly oriented opening, and a wrapping member about which the reinforcement fabric can be wrapped, the wrapping member having a geometry corresponding with the geometry of the upwardly oriented opening in such a manner that the wrapping member is prevented from rotating in the opening.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A structural reinforcement apparatus comprising: a flexible elongated reinforcement material that imparts resistance to high wind events having first and second ends;a first connecting member associated with the first end of the flexible reinforcement material;a second connecting member associate

1. A structural reinforcement apparatus comprising: a flexible elongated reinforcement material that imparts resistance to high wind events having first and second ends;a first connecting member associated with the first end of the flexible reinforcement material;a second connecting member associated with the second end of the flexible reinforcement material;first means for engaging the first connecting member; andsecond means for engaging the second connecting member,wherein the first and second connecting members are associated with edge portions of the flexible elongated reinforcement material, and the first and second means for engaging each comprises a connector housing that comprises a U-shaped slot aligned in a vertical direction for receiving the respective connecting member;wherein the first connector housing further comprises means for securing one or more roofing members thereto, and wherein the second connector housing comprises an attachment plate for securing the second connector housing to a frame structure; andwherein, when so secured, the connecting members and said first and second means for engaging are configured, dimensioned and operatively associated to provide tension to the flexible elongated reinforcing material. 2. The structural reinforcement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for securing one or more roofing members thereto comprises: a horizontal flange extending approximately perpendicularly from the first connector housing and has access holes along the length of the flange; anda roof member tie-down. 3. The structural reinforcement apparatus of claim 2 wherein the horizontal flange is a hollow boss with the hollow opening configured and dimensioned to receive an elongated clip having access holes with the same spacing as the horizontal flange access holes and a slot configured and dimensioned to grip a tension rod and thereby secure roof members to the horizontal flange. 4. The structural reinforcement apparatus of claim 2, wherein a tension rod is inserted through an opening in a strap portion on a saddle connector and locked in an access hole in the flange. 5. The structural reinforcement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first means for securing one or more roofing members thereto comprises an upper vertical flange extending approximately parallel from an upper portion of the first connector housing wherein the flange has one or more openings configured and dimensioned to accept a roof member tie-down. 6. The structural reinforcement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for securing one or more roofing members thereto comprises a T-slot extending along a length of an upper portion of the first connector housing; and a roof member tie-down, which comprises; a securing block;a T-slot coupling, which is configured and dimensioned to fit within the connector housing T-slot, extending from the back face of the securing block;a gear rack strap extending from an edge of the securing block; anda ratchet case positioned along an edge of the securing block opposite the gear rack strap, wherein the roof member tie-down is coupled to the connector housing by the T-slot coupling and the gear rack strap can be looped over a roof member and secured in the receiving case. 7. The structural reinforcement apparatus of claim 1, which further comprises: a batten housing configured and dimensioned to hold a wrapped batten, wherein the first connector housing further comprises a downwardly oriented slot formed by a portion of an additional attachment plate having a front face and configured and dimensioned to receive the batten housing, anda retainer clip extending partially into the downwardly oriented slot opening from the front face opposite the additional attachment plate portion that prevents the batten housing from being withdrawn from the slot once it has been inserted. 8. The structural reinforcement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first connector housing includes a rectangular bar configured and dimensioned to be usable as a top plate and the second connector housing is a rectangular bar configured and dimensioned to be usable as a sill plate. 9. A frame structure having at least a roofing member and one or more wall members erected upon a foundation, the structure comprising: a structural reinforcement apparatus according to claim 1 for providing a continuous tensile load path between the roofing member and the structure foundation, wherein:the flexible reinforcement material is attached to the first and second connecting members along a first and second edge respectively;the first engagement means is affixed to an upper portion of a wall member;the first connecting member is operatively associated with the first engagement means;the second engagement means is affixed to the foundation of the frame structure;the second connecting member is operatively associated with second engagement means;the roofing member is secured to the first engagement means with a roof member tie-down; andthe first engagement means is operatively associated with the second engagement means by the flexible reinforcement material attached to the first and second connecting members to form a continuous tensile load path from the roof member to the structure's foundation. 10. The frame structure of claim 9, wherein the flexible reinforcement material also imparts resistance to seismic events, explosive blasts, and projectiles fired from small arms weapons. 11. A method of securing the frame structure of claim 9 to the foundation which supports it, which comprises; affixing the first connector housing to the foundation of the frame structure; affixing the second connector housing to the upper portion of the wall member above the first connector housing;wrapping the first edge portion of the flexible reinforcement material around the second connecting member;connectively associating the second connecting member with the second connector housing;draping the flexible reinforcement material over the wall member down to the first connector housing;connectively associating the first connecting member with the second edge of the flexible reinforcement material and with the first connector housing, wherein at least a portion of the second edge of the flexible reinforcement material is constrained between the first connecting member and first connector housing such that connectively associating the first connecting member and first connector housing applies a tension to the flexible reinforcement material;connectively associating a roofing member tie-down with the second connector housing; andsecuring the roof member to the first connector housing with the roofing member tie-down, such that the first connector housing is operatively associated with the second connector housing by the flexible reinforcement material attached to the first and second connecting members, and the first connector housing is operatively associated with the roof member to form a single continuous tensile load path from the roof member to the structure's foundation. 12. The method of securing the frame structure of claim 11, wherein; the second connector housing is affixed to the foundation of the frame structure with anchor bolts;the flexible reinforcement material is wrapped around the first connecting member;the first connecting member is connectively associated with the first connector housing by inserting the wrapped first connecting member into a slot in the first connector housing; andthe roofing member tie-down is one or more roof strap(s) connectively associated with the first connector housing and securing each of one or more roof member(s) to the first connector housing by looping the strap over the roof member and securing both ends to the second connector housing. 13. A frame structure having at least a roofing member and one or more wall members erected upon a foundation, the structure comprising: a structural reinforcement apparatus according to claim 2 for providing a continuous tensile load path between the roofing member and the structure foundation, wherein:the flexible reinforcement material is attached to the first and second connecting members along a first and second edge respectively;the first engagement means is affixed to an upper portion of a wall member;the first connecting member is operatively associated with the first engagement means;the second engagement means is affixed to the foundation of the frame structure;the second connecting member is operatively associated with second engagement means;the roofing member is secured to the first engagement means with a roof member tie-down; andthe first engagement means is operatively associated with the second engagement means by the flexible reinforcement material attached to the first and second connecting members to form a continuous tensile load path from the roof member to the structure's foundation. 14. The frame structure of claim 13, wherein the flexible reinforcement material also imparts resistance to seismic events, explosive blasts, and projectiles fired from small arms weapons. 15. The frame structure of claim 13, wherein the roof member tie-down includes tension rods, which are inserted into the access holes of the horizontal flange. 16. The frame structure of claim 15, wherein the saddle connector comprises two webs, with each tapering to a tension rod. 17. A method of securing the frame structure of claim 13 to the foundation which supports it, which comprises; affixing the first connector housing to the upper portion of a wall member of the frame structure;affixing the second connector housing to the foundation below the first connector housing;wrapping the first edge portion of the flexible reinforcement material around the first connecting member;connectively associating the first connecting member with the first connector housing;draping the flexible reinforcement material over the wall member down to the second connector housing;connectively associating the second connecting member with the second edge of the flexible reinforcement material and with the first connector housing, wherein at least a portion of the second edge of the flexible reinforcement material is constrained between the second connecting member and second connector housing such that connectively associating the second connecting member and second connector housing applies a tension to the flexible reinforcement material;connectively associating a roofing member tie-down with the second connector housing to thereby secure the roof member to the second connector housing with the roofing member tie-down, such that the first connector housing is operatively associated with the second connector housing by the flexible reinforcement material attached to the first and second connecting members to form a first continuous tensile load path, and the second connector housing is operatively associated with the roof member to form a second separate continuous tensile load path from the roof member to the structure's foundation. 18. The method of securing the frame structure of claim 17, wherein; the second connector housing is affixed to the foundation of the frame structure with anchor bolts;the flexible reinforcement material is wrapped around the first connecting member;the first connecting member is connectively associated with the first connector housing by inserting the wrapped first connecting member into a slot in the first connector housing; andthe roofing member tie-down is one or more roof strap(s) connectively associated with the first connector housing and securing each of one or more roof member(s) to the first connector housing by looping the strap over the roof member and securing both ends to the second connector housing.