Patent ID: 6908256

Claim:
A drainage grate assembly comprising: a) an elongate drainage grate having a substantially planar drainage surface including a plurality of apertures therethrough and a pair of longitudinally extending side portions, each side portion extending orthogonally below an underside of said drainage surface and including a bottom flange extending toward the opposing one of said side portions; b) a first reinforcement retaining rail disposed between a first of said bottom flanges and said underside of said drainage surface adjacent a first of said side portions, and a second reinforcement retaining rail disposed between the other of said bottom flanges and said underside of said drainage surface adjacent the opposing said side portion; c) each said retaining rail being an elongate member comprising a back surface adjacent a side portion, a bottom surface adjacent a bottom flange, a top surface adjacent said underside of said drainage surface, and a front surface facing an opposing said retaining rail; each said front surface including a plurality of slots adapted to receive an end of a reinforcing strip; whereby when opposing ends of a reinforcing strip are disposed within slots in opposing retaining rails, an upper edge of said reinforcing strip abuts at least a portion of said underside of said drainage surface.