Patent ID: 8375661

Claim:
A deck pan assembly for receiving and supporting concrete, comprising: a. plurality of deck pans; b. each deck pan including a bottom and an upturned edge; c. the deck pans disposed in side-by-side relationship and spaced such that the upturned edges of the two deck pans lie adjacent to each other and form an elongated connecting structure that permits the two deck pans to be connected together; d. at least one elongated stiffening connector extending substantially along the entire length of the connecting structure and at least partially covering the upturned edges that form the connecting structure; e. the elongated stiffening connector including a pair of spaced apart sides and wherein the connecting structure is inserted between the spaced apart sides such that the spaced apart sides extend downwardly adjacent outer surfaces of the connecting structure; f. a plurality of fasteners for connecting the elongated stiffening connector to the connecting structure of the deck pans, each fastener extending transversely through the upturned edges that form the connecting structure and through the spaced apart sides that form a part of the elongated stiffening connector; and g. wherein the elongated stiffening connector and the deck pans are constructed of sheet metal and wherein the sheet metal that forms the elongated stiffening connector is of a heavier gauge metal than the sheet metal that forms the deck pans.