Underground tank hold-down system

An underground fluid storage tank hold-down system for holding down an underground cylindrical fluid storage tank in a hole that has been excavated, the underground tank hold-down system comprising:

• a multiplicity of paired hold-down straps, each having a first end and a second end, a length, and a width;
• a multiplicity of paired deadmen anchors adapted to be placed to either side of the tank when the tank is in the hole, the deadmen anchors each with anchor upstanding loops;
• and
• a tank hold-down assembly comprising a take-up coupler assembly having a pair of arched sections, including a first arched section and a second arched section and a threaded engagement assembly, the threaded engagement assembly including a threaded member and a receiving member adapted to receive part of the threaded member;
• wherein the paired straps are adapted to engage the arched sections at a first end of the straps and the paired deadmen anchors at a second end of the straps;
• wherein the first and second arched sections each have a curved base with an upper and a lower surface and a first and a second end and a body therebetween, comprise a multiplicity of strap engaging hooks extending upward from the upper surface thereof and walls to engage the threaded member to the first arched section and the receiving member to the second arched section such that rotation of the threaded member when it is engaged with the receiving member brings the two sections closer to one another and snugs the straps down to the walls of the underground tank;
• wherein each of the arched sections includes a curved base having a first end and a second end, and a body therebetween;
• wherein the second end includes the walls configured to engage the threaded engagement assembly and wherein the hooks are located on the body such that they are below the threaded engagement assembly when the tank hold-down assembly is in place on the underground cylindrical fluid storage tank;
• and
• wherein the multiplicity of hooks on each arched section is two and wherein the hooks are both spaced apart longitudinally and offset to either side of a longitudinal axis of the arched sections, the offset at a minimum at least about equal to a width of the hold-down straps.

A method for securing an underground storage tank in an excavated area, comprising the steps of:

• first providing on the bottom of an excavation, an anchoring assembly comprising multiple paired upstanding spaced apart anchor loop sections;
• second providing a multiplicity of paired hold-down straps, each having a first end and a second end, a length, and a width;
• a multiplicity of paired deadmen anchors adapted to be placed to either side of the tank when the tank is in the hole, the deadmen anchors each with anchor upstanding loops;
• a tank hold-down assembly comprising a take-up coupler assembly having a pair of arched sections, including a first arched section and a second arched section and a threaded engagement assembly, the threaded engagement assembly including a threaded member and a receiving member adapted to receive part of the threaded member;
• wherein the paired straps are adapted to engage the arched sections at a first end of the straps and the paired deadmen anchors at a second end of the straps;
• and wherein the first and second arched sections each comprise a multiplicity of strap engaging hooks and walls to engage the threaded member to the first arched section and the receiving member to the second arched section such that rotation of the threaded member when it is engaged with the receiving member brings the two sections closer to one another and snugs the straps down to the walls of the underground tank;
• attaching each strap to the multiple paired straps to the anchor upstanding loops and the take-up coupler assembly having the threaded member engaging the arched section;
• and
• rotating the threaded member until the straps are snug.