Patent ID: 7017314

Claim:
A composite steel and concrete floor construction comprising: a concrete slab; a plurality of individual laterally placed, parallel disposed, and supported joists, wherein each of said plurality of joists comprises an upper chord and a lower chord, said upper chord of at least one of said plurality of joists comprising a substantially cross-shaped cross section about a longitudinal axis; an intermediate web member joining said upper chord and said lower chord, said intermediate web member comprising a plurality of tension and compression members triangulating a space between said upper chord and said lower chord; wherein each of said upper chords of each of said plurality of joists comprises: a first angle, said first angle comprising a first horizontal leg portion and an upward vertical leg portion; and a second angle, said second angle comprising a second horizontal leg portion and a downward vertical leg portion; and wherein at least a portion of each of said upward vertical leg portions of each of said first angles of each of said plurality of joists is embedded in said concrete slab; and a reinforcing mesh at least partially supported upon said upper chords of said plurality of joists and hanging generally in a catenary shape therebetween and being fully embedded in said slab.