# US 11,028,550 B2 · Pier bracket assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,028,550 B2 - Document ID: US11028550B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/013,331 - Filed: 2018-06-20 - Published: 2018-12-27 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-20 - Assignees: Independence Materials Group, LLC - Applicants: Independence Materials Group, LLC - Inventors: William A. Gantt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11028550B2 ## CPC - E02D 5/80: Ground anchors {(for galleries, tunnels or shafts E21D21/00)} - E02D 27/50: Anchored foundations - E02D 37/00: Repair of damaged foundations or foundation structures {(renewing piles E02D5/64; roads E01C11/005; bridges E01D22/00; repairing buildings E04G23/02)} - E02D 2600/30: comprising anchoring details - E02D: FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS (specially adapted for hydraulic engineering E02B); UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES {(tunnels, tunnelling, mining E21)} ## Abstract A pier bracket comprises a seat including a base plate and an upper plate extending orthogonally from the base plate wherein, when the base plate is positioned for supporting a structure, the upper plate is adjacent to the structure for securing the upper plate to the structure. A tubular member is mounted to the seat and adapted to slidably receive structural piers. A planar support plate is distally spaced from and parallel to the base plate. Each of a pair of side plates extend between an opposite side edge of the base plate and the support plate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pier bracket for use in an anchor assembly including one or more structural piers inserted a depth into ground using a drive assembly after securing the pier bracket to a structure, the pier bracket securing the one or more structural piers to the structure and being configured for supporting the structure, the pier bracket comprising: an L-shaped seat including a base plate, and an upper plate extending from the base plate, wherein the seat is configured to be operatively coupled to the structure; a tubular member fixedly mounted to the seat, wherein an entirety of an upper end of the tubular member is fixedly mounted below a top portion of the upper plate; and wherein, in a sliding configuration, the tubular member slidably receives a sleeve, the sleeve slidably receives the one or more structural piers for insertion of the one or more structural piers into the ground, and a proximal end of the sleeve is located below the top portion of the upper plate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pier bracket as recited in claim 1, further comprising one or more side plates for operatively coupling the seat and the tubular member, and wherein at least one of the one or more side plates has an opening therein for providing a handhold for a user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The pier bracket as recited in claim 1, further comprising a flange operatively coupling the seat and the tubular member, and wherein the flange defines a fastener opening adapted for securing the pier bracket to the drive assembly. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The pier bracket as recited in claim 1, wherein the base plate comprises a planar rectangular member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The pier bracket as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a planar support plate, wherein the planar support plate is located below a lower end of the tubular member, wherein the sleeve and the one or more structural piers pass through the planar support plate, and wherein the planar support plate allows the pier bracket to stand vertically in an installed orientation before being operatively coupled to the structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The pier bracket as recited in claim 1, wherein the sleeve comprises a stop, wherein the tubular member slidingly receive at least a portion the sleeve within the tubular member until the stop of the sleeve engages the tubular member to resist additional movement between the sleeve and the tubular member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The pier bracket as recited in claim 6, wherein the stop is a shoulder comprising a collar operatively coupled to the sleeve or a flared end of the sleeve. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The pier bracket as recited in claim 1, further comprising a releasable fastening means for releasably fastening the seat to the structure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The pier bracket as recited in claim 8, wherein the releasable fastening means comprises at least one opening in the upper plate for receiving a fastener for fastening the seat to the structure. ### Claim 10 An anchor assembly for underpinning and supporting a structure, the anchor assembly comprising: at least one structural pier for being sunk a depth into ground; a pier bracket configured for securing the at least one structural pier to the structure, the pier bracket comprising: an L-shaped seat including a base plate and an upper plate extending from the base plate, wherein the seat is configured to be operatively coupled to the structure, a tubular member fixedly mounted to the seat, wherein an entirety of an upper end of the tubular member is fixedly mounted below a top portion of the upper plate; and a sleeve, wherein the sleeve is hollow therethrough; wherein, in a sliding configuration: the tubular member slidingly receives the sleeve; a proximal end of the sleeve is located below the top portion of the upper plate; and the sleeve slidingly receives the at least one structural pier. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The anchor assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the at least one structural pier is a push pier. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The anchor assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the at least one structural pier is a helical anchor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The anchor assembly as recited in claim 10, further comprising means for releasably fastening the seat to the structure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The anchor assembly as recited in claim 10, further comprising one or more side plates that operatively couple seat and the tubular member, wherein at least one of the one or more side plates has an opening therein for providing a handhold for a user. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The anchor assembly as recited in claim 10, further comprising a flange that operatively couple the seat and the tubular member, and wherein the flange defines a fastener opening adapted for securing the pier bracket to a drive assembly. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The anchor assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the base plate comprises a planar rectangular member. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The anchor assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the at least one structural pier comprises a plurality of structural piers connected end to end. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The anchor assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the pier bracket further comprising: a planar support plate, wherein the planar support plate is located below a lower end of the tubular member, wherein the sleeve and the at least one structural pier pass through the planar support plate, and wherein the planar support plate allows the pier bracket to stand vertically in an installed orientation before being operatively coupled to the structure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The anchor assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the sleeve comprises a stop, wherein the tubular member slidingly receive the sleeve within the tubular member until the stop of the sleeve engages the tubular member to resist additional movement between the sleeve and the tubular member. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The anchor assembly as recited in claim 19, wherein the stop is a shoulder comprising a collar operatively coupled to the sleeve or a flared end of the sleeve.