Floor grid system

Claim 1

A floor assembly for a building structure, comprising: a plurality of support members defining a horizontal perimeter supported by the building structure, said support members including a containment ring formed from a plurality of coplanar containment members joined at the ends thereof to form a unitary body; said containment members being angle members each having "L"-shaped lateral cross-sections with upwardly-extending, vertical, inner and outer side walls and inwardly-extending, horizontal, upper and lower bottom walls; said support members further including a plurality of coplanar perimeter members interfitted at the ends thereof, each including a vertically-planar outer surface abutting and contained by one of said inner side walls of said containment members; a grid formed of a plurality of horizontal grid members extending between said perimeter members; pocket surfaces on adjoining ones of said grid members defining pockets; and a glass block fitted into each pocket, to form a floor assembly wherein said glass blocks define a horizontal glass floor surface supported by said grid members, with said grid members being supported by said support members.

Claim 8

A method for constructing a floor assembly for a building structure, comprising the steps of: first, installing a plurality of support members defining a horizontal perimeter supported by the building structure, said support members including a unitary containment ring with upwardly-extending inner side walls and inwardly-extending upper bottom walls, and said support members further including a plurality of discrete perimeter members interfitted with said containment ring, each perimeter member having surfaces abutting said side and bottom walls of said containment ring; second, forming a grid between said support members by extending a plurality of horizontal lateral members between opposing ones of said perimeter members, and by extending a plurality of horizontal segment members between opposing ones of said perimeter members and lateral members and opposing ones of said lateral members, with pocket surfaces on adjoining ones of said perimeter members, lateral members and segment members defining pockets; and third, fitting a glass block into each pocket, to form a floor assembly wherein said glass blocks define a horizontal glass floor surface supported by said lateral and segment members and with said lateral and segment members being supported by said perimeter members.

Claim 9

A method for constructing a floor assembly for a building structure, comprising the steps of: first, installing a plurality of support members defining a horizontal perimeter supported by the building structure, said support members including a unitary containment ring with upwardly-extending inner side walls and inwardly-extending upper bottom walls, and said support members further including a plurality of discrete perimeter members interfitted with said containment ring, each perimeter member having surfaces abutting said side and bottom walls of said containment ring; second, forming a grid between said support members by extending a plurality of horizontal lateral members between opposing ones of said perimeter members, and by extending a plurality of horizontal segment members between opposing ones of said perimeter members and lateral members and opposing ones of said lateral members, with pocket surfaces on adjoining ones of said perimeter members, lateral members and segment members defining pockets; and third, fitting a glass block into each pocket, to form a floor assembly wherein said glass blocks define a horizontal glass floor surface supported by said lateral and segment members and with said lateral and segment members being supported by said perimeter members.