Floor deck structure

Claim 1

In a fabricated rigid floor deck structure assembled from a plurality of similar floor sections, each section being formed for engagement with an adjacent similar section to form an interlocking floor structure, a floor section comprising: an elongate plate having generally planar top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of substantially parallel elongate embossments raised from the top surface, said embossments extending laterally continuously between points adjacent the opposite longitudinal edges of said plate and having openings formed through the sides of said embossment in a plane generally perpendicular to the plane of said plate to permit air flow from one side of the plate to the other. a male flange having a generally U-shaped cross section and having inner and outer leg portions generally perpendicular to the plane of said plate, said male flange having its outer leg downwardly depending from one of said longitudinal edges of said plate, the inner leg of said male flange extending upwardly and having a free end positioned inwardly of said one edge lying above the plane of the bottom surface of said plate, one portion of the bottom surface having a longitudinal groove formed thereon aligned generally with said free end of said male flange with said free end extending into said groove; and a female flange having a generally U-shaped cross section and having inner and outer leg portions generally perpendicular to the plane of said plate, said female flange having its inner leg downwardly depending from the other of said longitudinal edges of said plate, the outer leg of said female flange extending upwardly and having a free end positioned outwardly of said other edge lying above the plane of the bottom surface of said plate, said female flange defining an upwardly opening channel laterally outward from said plate, said flanges being dimensioned so that adjacent floor sections are locked together in suitable alignment by placing said male flange into the channel defined by the female flange of an adjacent aligned floor section, the free end of the female flange of the adjacent floor section also extending into said groove when said male flange and said female flange of the adjacent floor sections are engaged, whereby the free ends of the respective flanges when engaged are adjacently disposed stabilized against lateral movement within said groove.