Platform tennis court

Claim 1

A metal platform tennis court, comprising: A. a plurality of deck panels horizontally disposed in a predetermined rectangular configuration, said disposed deck panels having a rectangular outer periphery and predetermined ones of said panels being secured to each other, each of said deck panels comprising: a. a pair of oppositely disposed metal channel members spaced a predetermined distance apart in the horizontal direction and extending a predetermined distance in the horizontal direction, each of said channel members including a plurality of integrally formed and horizontally disposed flanges spaced apart vertically predetermined distances and said flanges providing said channel members with resistance to bending in the horizontal direction; b. a plurality of vertically disposed metal joists spaced apart predetermined distances in the horizontal direction and extending between said channel members, said joists fixedly secured to said channel members; c. a plurality of metal deck members spaced apart a predetermined distance in the horizontal direction and said deck members extending a predetermined distance in the horizontal direction, said deck members residing on said joists, each of said deck members including a horizontal member for receiving a load applied to said deck panel and said horizontal member having a plurality of integrally formed and vertically disposed legs for providing said deck member with resistance to bending in the vertical direction, and said legs of said deck members being fixedly secured to said joists; d. said pair of channel members for providing said deck panel with resistance to bending in the vertical direction; and e. said joists for providing said deck panel with resistance to bending in the vertical direction; and B. Apparatus secured around said rectangular outer periphery of said deck panels for supporting screen material and for maintaining said screen material in tension, said apparatus arranged rectangularly into four sections and each section of said apparatus including: a. a plurality of vertically disposed metal support members spaced apart horizontally a predetermined distance, the lower portion of said support members secured to said outer periphery of said deck panels; b. a first metal transverse member disposed transverse to said vertically disposed support members and secured thereto at a first predetermined vertical position; c. a second metal transverse member disposed transverse to said vertically disposed support members and displaced downwardly from said first predetermined vertical distance at a second predetermined vertical position, said second transverse member being structurally independent of said vertically disposed support members and movable vertically with respect thereto; d. a body of screen material; e. said first transverse member for supporting the top of said screen material and said second transverse member for supporting the bottom of said screen material; and f. shock absorber means mounted on predetermined ones of said vertically disposed support members and displaced downwardly from said second transverse member at a third predetermined vertical position, said shock absorber means interconnected with said second transverse member and for applying downward force to said second transverse member to maintain said supported screen material normally in tension and for permitting said second transverse member to move upwardly upon the application of a predetermined load to said screen material.