Patent ID: 8429860

Claim:
A support structure for elevating a building surface above a fixed surface, the support structure comprising: a plurality of support pedestals disposed in spaced-apart relation, the support pedestals comprising: a base plate that is adapted to be placed on the fixed surface; a support plate that is adapted to support a building surface component; a central section extending between the base plate and the support plate; and at least a first anchor engagement element disposed on the central sections of the support pedestals; a plurality of anchoring members, the anchoring members comprising a mounting member having opposed inner and outer surfaces, and first and second ends defining an anchoring member gap therebetween, wherein the central sections of the support pedestals are disposed within the anchoring member gaps, wherein the mounting members are resiliently movable between at least first and second states, wherein the anchoring member gaps are greater in the second state than in the first state, and whereby the anchoring members may be detached from the central sections in the second state; at least a first attachment element integrally formed with the mounting member and extending inwardly from the inner surface, and at least a first brace engagement element extending outwardly from the outer surface, where the first attachment elements are engaged with the first anchor engagement elements of the support pedestals to anchor the anchoring members to the support pedestals; and a stabilizing brace operatively attached to at least first and second adjacent support pedestals, wherein a first end of the stabilizing brace is received within a cavity of the first brace engagement element of a first anchoring member of the first support pedestal and secured thereto via a spring-loaded locking member of the first brace engagement element or the first end of the stabilizing brace, and wherein a second end of the stabilizing brace is received within a cavity of the first brace engagement element of a second anchoring member of the second support pedestal and secured thereto via a spring-loaded locking member of the first brace engagement element or the second end of the stabilizing brace.