Patent ID: 7921618

Claim:
A modular flooring system, comprising: a plurality of interlocking floor panels each including: a rectangular treading surface having a first edge, a second edge spaced from said first edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge spaced from said third edge; a first extension member extending laterally beyond said first edge and defining an upwardly opening first groove; a second extension member extending laterally beyond said third edge and defining an upwardly opening second groove; a first tongue below said second edge and extending substantially perpendicular to and away from said treading surface; a second tongue below said fourth edge and extending substantially perpendicular to and away from said treading surface; and a plurality of locking mechanisms; wherein: said plurality of interlocking floor panels are interlocked with one another such that ones of said first tongues are engaged with ones of said first grooves, ones of said second tongues are engaged with ones of said second grooves, and said plurality of locking mechanisms are engaged so as to lock immediately adjacent panels to one another to hold ones of said first tongues in corresponding respective ones of said first grooves and to hold ones of said second tongues in corresponding respective ones of said second grooves; each of said plurality of locking mechanisms comprises a recess in said treading surface and a locking member that includes a handle movable within said recess; said locking member includes an L-shaped pin having a first portion slidably engagable with an immediately adjacent one of said plurality of interlocking floor panels, and a second portion that functions as said handle; and said recess includes a locked stowing region and an unlocked stowing region spaced from said locked stowing region, said locked stowing region receiving said second portion of said locking member in a stowed manner relative to said treading surface when that one of said plurality of locking mechanisms is in a locked state, and said unlocked stowing region receiving said second portion of said locking member in a stowed manner relative to said treading surface when that one of said locking mechanisms is in an unlocked state.