Patent ID: 7908812

Claim:
A decking system which comprises: I. a plurality of decking boards, a support board, an anchoring device, each decking board having a top portion, a bottom portion, two sides, and two ends, and at least one groove located along one of said sides, said at least one groove being adapted and dimensioned to receive the anchoring device, said decking boards being situated atop said support board; and II. the anchoring device comprising: (a) a substantially flat horizontal top element having a top view configuration which includes two substantially parallel sides and has a first predetermined width as measured side to side, said first predetermined width being measured at a maximum width between said sides of said top element, said top element having an imaginary center line and each of the sides of said top element being configured to be received in the at least one groove; (b) at least one substantially vertical support member attached to an underside of said top element along said imaginary center line of said top element and extending downwardly therefrom for a predetermined length, the at least one substantially vertical support member having two sides and a second predetermined width as measured side to side at a maximum width thereof; and (c) a substantially flat horizontal bottom element having a flat bottom view configuration which includes two sides and having a generally trapezoidal shape, and having a third predetermined width as measured side to side at a maximum width thereof; wherein said first predetermined width is greater than both said second predetermined width and third predetermined width, and wherein said third predetermined width is greater than said second predetermined width, and said anchoring device is adapted to maintain said top element in a predetermined position during use for joinder of two adjacent decking boards of the plurality of decking boards which each having been pre-cut with the at least one groove, and to position said bottom element upon said support board on which said two adjacent decking boards rest for attachment of said anchoring device to said support board for anchoring and support of said two adjacent decking boards; and, wherein said anchoring device is made of molded plastic material; and further wherein said horizontal top element is received in the at least one groove of each decking board of the two adjacent decking boards, said bottom element rests upon said support board, and said anchoring device is anchored by a metal fastener driven therethrough to said support board, whereby said anchoring device joins and supports said decking boards on said support board; and wherein the at least one vertical support member of said anchoring device has a plurality of recesses with support columns located therebetween, the support columns being disposed along one of the two sides of the at least one vertical support member, the plurality of recesses being disposed on each of the two sides of the at least one vertical support member.