US Patent 7621085 Racheting take-up device

An apparatus for taking-up slack in a building hold-down system. The apparatus may include a base having a tubular shape, a slide having a tubular shape and a threadless interior surface, a locking member, and a biasing member. The slide may be sized and positioned to translate within the base. The locking member may be positioned between the base and the slide to permit translation of the base with respect to the slide to cause expansion and resist translation of the base with respect to the slide to cause contraction. The biasing member may urge translation of the base with respect to the slide in the direction causing expansion.