Reinforced tread assembly

Claim 1

A lightweight, reinforced concrete tread assembly for a stairway, comprising a tread member formed of a glass reinforced concrete material, said tread member having an upper face forming an upper tread surface, a front surface and an underside face, base means having a base member coupled in a laminated relationship to at least a portion of the underside of said tread member, said base member acting to reinforce said tread member and to render said tread member more impermeable and resistant to impact and forming a composite strengthened tread assembly in conjunction with said tread member, means for bonding said base member to said tread member to form said composite strengthened tread assembly, said base means including a nose section integrally coupled to said base member in a continuous relationship, said nose section extending upward in close proximity to said front surface to a location adjacent said upper surface to protect said tread member, a pair of risers forming at least a part of a stairway structure, said risers having respective flanges forming aligned spaced horizontal surfaces, and said laminated tread member and base member being carried on said horizontal surfaces with said base member being disposed between said reinforced tread and at least one of said horizontal surfaces.