US3748800A — Earthquake-insulation foundations

Claim 1

Independent Claim 320 words

A hydraulic earthquake-insulation foundation which limits the magnitude of horizontal and vertical accelerations transmitted to the framework of various types of buildings and structures by the earth during earthquakes, and which also provides protection of said buildings and structures against horizontal and vertical buckling of the earth during earthquakes, comprising a watertight building-base upon which said building or buildings or structures are constructed, said building-base floating within a liquidfilled pool, typically water, which said pool has been excavated in the earth, said building-base being of appropriate shape and dimensions so as to provide buoyant stability, the center of gravity of displaced liquid moving outboard of the center of gravity of the entire floating structure for any rotation of said structure about the horizontal; centering means consisting of multiple centering springs typically contained within recesses in the sides of the base, which said centering springs provide tension from the sides of said building-base to the sides of the pool excavation through cables connected to anchors implanted in the sides of the pool excavation, said springs maintaining said building-base at a long-term center position within the pool; pool-lining means consisting of watertight, flexible, and expandably-reinforced pool sides and bottom to provide protection against possible horizontal and vertical buckling of the earth during earthquakes, by means of a flexibe, spring-tension cable network which consists of cables which are freely woven into squares and which are not attached to each other except at the outeR end-points of the network, which network has two-way stretch provided by springs in each cable line, and which cable network is firmly attached to the ground at various corner points by anchors, piles, or other support means, said cable network holding large, interlapping sheets of loose-dirt-retaining material underneath, and which said cable network is covered by a watertight pool lining, typically plastic, which is folded, typically into square pleats, so as to permit expansion in all directions without leaking.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 320 words

A hydraulic earthquake-insulation foundation which limits the magnitude of horizontal and vertical accelerations transmitted to the framework of various types of buildings and structures by the earth during earthquakes, and which also provides protection of said buildings and structures against horizontal and vertical buckling of the earth during earthquakes, comprising a watertight building-base upon which said building or buildings or structures are constructed, said building-base floating within a liquidfilled pool, typically water, which said pool has been excavated in the earth, said building-base being of appropriate shape and dimensions so as to provide buoyant stability, the center of gravity of displaced liquid moving outboard of the center of gravity of the entire floating structure for any rotation of said structure about the horizontal; centering means consisting of multiple centering springs typically contained within recesses in the sides of the base, which said centering springs provide tension from the sides of said building-base to the sides of the pool excavation through cables connected to anchors implanted in the sides of the pool excavation, said springs maintaining said building-base at a long-term center position within the pool; pool-lining means consisting of watertight, flexible, and expandably-reinforced pool sides and bottom to provide protection against possible horizontal and vertical buckling of the earth during earthquakes, by means of a flexibe, spring-tension cable network which consists of cables which are freely woven into squares and which are not attached to each other except at the outeR end-points of the network, which network has two-way stretch provided by springs in each cable line, and which cable network is firmly attached to the ground at various corner points by anchors, piles, or other support means, said cable network holding large, interlapping sheets of loose-dirt-retaining material underneath, and which said cable network is covered by a watertight pool lining, typically plastic, which is folded, typically into square pleats, so as to permit expansion in all directions without leaking.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 42 words

The foundation of claim 1 in which is included a pumping-filtration-heating system for the pool liquid, which said system is similar to those utilized for swimming pools and which circulates and purifies the liquid and maintains its temperature at least above freezing.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 47 words

The foundation of claim 1 in which various water, gas, sewer, electricity, telephone, and any other pipe or wire connections to the building structure are made through flexible tubes with suitable slack, and which flexible tubes may be located above, below, or floated upon the pool-liquid surface.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 92 words

The foundation of claim 1 in which pool coverings enclose the pool surface and join the building-base structure with the surrounding ground and pavement, said covering typically consisting of sidewalks, driveways, planters, and the like, which said coverings are connected to the building-base structure by means of pivot supports which allow rotation of said coverings about the horizontal, and which said coverings are freely-resting and capable of sliding, slipping, or rolling upon the surrounding pavement, so as to permit both rotational and translational movement of the building-base structure relative to the ground.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 210 words

A non-hydraulic earthquake-insulation foundation which limits the magnitude of horizontal accelerations transmitted to the framework of various buildings and structures by the earth during earthquakes, and which also provides protection of said buildings and structures against horizontal and vertical buckling of the earth during earthquakes, comprising a flat-bottomed building-base upon which said building or buildings or structures are constructed, said building-base resting uopn the surface of a pit of sand or other suitable low-coefficient-of-friction dry granular or particulate material, which said pit has typically been excavated in the earth; pit-lining means consisting of watertight, flexible, and/or expandably reinforced pit sides and bottom, by means of a flexible, spring-tension cable network which consists of cables which are freely woven into squares and which are not attached to each other except at the outer end points of the network, which network has two-way stretch provided by springs in each cable line, and which cable network is firmly attached to the ground at various corner points by anchors, piles, or other support means; said cable network holding large, interlapping sheets of loose-dirt-retaining material underneath; and which said cable network is covered by a watertight pit lining which is folded, typically into square pleats, so as to permit expansion in all directions without leaking.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 210 words

A non-hydraulic earthquake-insulation foundation which limits the magnitude of horizontal accelerations transmitted to the framework of various buildings and structures by the earth during earthquakes, and which also provides protection of said buildings and structures against horizontal and vertical buckling of the earth during earthquakes, comprising a flat-bottomed building-base upon which said building or buildings or structures are constructed, said building-base resting uopn the surface of a pit of sand or other suitable low-coefficient-of-friction dry granular or particulate material, which said pit has typically been excavated in the earth; pit-lining means consisting of watertight, flexible, and/or expandably reinforced pit sides and bottom, by means of a flexible, spring-tension cable network which consists of cables which are freely woven into squares and which are not attached to each other except at the outer end points of the network, which network has two-way stretch provided by springs in each cable line, and which cable network is firmly attached to the ground at various corner points by anchors, piles, or other support means; said cable network holding large, interlapping sheets of loose-dirt-retaining material underneath; and which said cable network is covered by a watertight pit lining which is folded, typically into square pleats, so as to permit expansion in all directions without leaking.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 49 words

The foundation of claim 5 in which various water, gas, sewer, electricity, telephone, and any other pipe or wire connections to the building structure are made through flexible tubes with suitable slack, and which flexible tubes may be located above, below, or on the surface of the non-hydraulic medium.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 94 words

The foundation of claim 5 in which pit coverings enclose the pit surface and join the building-base structure with the surrounding ground and pavement, said coverings typically consisting of sidewalks, driveways, stairways, planters, and the like, which said coverings are connected to the building-base structure by means of pivot supports which allow rotation of said coverings about the horizontal, and which said coverings are freely resting and capable of sliding, slipping, or rolling upon the surrounding pavement, so as to permit both rotational And translational movement of the building-base structure relative to the ground.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-07-30	1977-01-29	1977-07-31	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-07-30	1981-01-29	1981-07-31	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-07-30	1985-01-29	1985-07-31	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Earthquake-insulation foundations

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