Load equalizing support system for façade wall panels

A system for distributing a load from a vertically-oriented wall panel to a floor surface, comprising:

• a plurality of supports connected to a bottom end of said wall panel, each support having:
• a bias member positioned within a housing, wherein said bias member generates a force equal to a portion of said load;
• a coupler operably connected to said bias member, wherein said coupler contacts said floor surface to transfer said portion of said load to said floor surface;
• and
• an adjustment feature that changes said force generated by said bias member to change said portion of said load transferred to said floor surface, wherein said adjustment feature is a bolt that is threadably engaged with an aperture, and said bolt contacts an upper plate positioned at a top end of said bias member.

A method for distributing a load from a wall panel that is vertically-oriented against a floor surface, comprising:

• providing said wall panel comprising a plurality of supports connected to a bottom end of said wall panel, wherein each support has:
• a bias member positioned within a housing, wherein said bias member generates a force equal to a portion of said load;
• a coupler operably connected to said bias member, wherein said coupler extends to contact said floor surface to transfer said portion of said load to said floor surface;
• an adjustment feature that changes said force generated by said bias member to change said portion of said load transferred to said floor surface, wherein said adjustment feature is a bolt that is threadably engaged with an aperture, and said bolt contacts an upper plate positioned at a top end of said bias member;
• positioning the bias member between the upper plate and a lower plate of each support of said plurality of supports, wherein said coupler is connected to said lower plate;
• determining a distribution of said load from said wall panel to said floor surface based on a characteristic of said floor surface;
• and
• moving said upper plate relative to said lower plate of at least one support of said plurality of supports to change a displacement of said bias member and adjust said force generated by said bias member to meet said determined distribution of said load.