Abstract An elongated sheet of stainless steel material includes alternately spaced apart laterally extending slots and ridges formed by removing a length of material and then applying downward pressure within the slots to form downwardly extending rounded slot edges. Upward pressure is applied along a line between the slots to form rounded ridges having oppositely extending downwardly sloping surfaces which merge into flat surfaces extending to the adjacent slot edges. The opposite sides of the floor members include downwardly extending side walls which slope inwardly towards each other such that side walls of adjacent floor members form elongated openings which increase in width downwardly. An A-shaped strengthening member may be provided under the floor member along its center line and supported by vertically disposed end channels the upper legs of which have downwardly extending return bend portions providing rounded edges therealong.
The method of forming a self-cleaning animal floor assembly including floor members having alternating slots and ridges with said ridges including substantially flat surfaces extending from adjacent slot edges and merging into upwardly sloping surfaces converging to form ridges, said method including the steps of, providing a flat piece of sheet metal, removing a length of metal on the centerline of the slot being formed, applying downward flaring pressure to the side edges of said slot to provide downwardly extending rounded slot side edges, applying upward pressure to said sheet metal along a line immediately between said slots to form upwardly sloping surfaces converging to provide a rounded ridge, and maintaining flat surfaces between said slots and said upwardly sloping surfaces including fixing the width of said flat surfaces sufficiently narrow that said animals' feet will continue moving across said flat surfaces to said slots once said feet have started sliding down said upwardly sloping surfaces.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
156 words
The method of forming a self-cleaning animal floor assembly including floor members having alternating slots and ridges with said ridges including substantially flat surfaces extending from adjacent slot edges and merging into upwardly sloping surfaces converging to form ridges, said method including the steps of, providing a flat piece of sheet metal, removing a length of metal on the centerline of the slot being formed, applying downward flaring pressure to the side edges of said slot to provide downwardly extending rounded slot side edges, applying upward pressure to said sheet metal along a line immediately between said slots to form upwardly sloping surfaces converging to provide a rounded ridge, and maintaining flat surfaces between said slots and said upwardly sloping surfaces including fixing the width of said flat surfaces sufficiently narrow that said animals' feet will continue moving across said flat surfaces to said slots once said feet have started sliding down said upwardly sloping surfaces.