Elevated flooring system and components thereof

Abstract

An elevated flooring system having plurality of beams configured to support a respective portion of at least one flooring panel, and at least one saddle configured to support the at least one of the beams. The saddle has a generally horizontally oriented base plate with an alignment post extending generally vertically upwardly from the base plate. The beam has an alignment passage extending through a portion of the bottom of a first end of the beam, wherein the alignment passage is configured to receive a portion of the alignment post of the saddle such that a portion of the beam rests on a portion of the base plate. A method of installing the elevated flooring system includes lowering a first beam and a second beam onto the alignment post of a saddle such that respective portions of the alignment post are received by the alignment passage of the first beam and the alignment passage of the second beam.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows: 
     
         1 . A flooring system comprising:
 at least two support beams configured to support a portion of at least one flooring panel, each of the at least two support beams having a first end; and   a low elevation saddle configured to support respective first ends of each of the at least two support beams, the low elevation saddle comprising a base plate, an alignment post extending upwardly from the base plate, and a first junction extending upwardly from the base plate;   wherein the first junction is configured for receiving at least one horizontal support;   wherein the base plate of the low elevation saddle is configured to rest no more than 12 inches above ground level; and   wherein the alignment post is configured to be partially received by each one of the at least two support beams such that a portion of each support beam rests on a portion of the base plate.   
     
     
         2 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , further comprising a scaffold support structure, a transition saddle coupled to the scaffold support structure, the transition saddle comprising a base plate and a second junction extending upwardly from the base plate, and a horizontal support;
 wherein the horizontal support extends between and is received by the first junction and the second junction; and   wherein a base of the scaffold support structure is configured to rest at a lower elevation than the base plate of the low elevation saddle.   
     
     
         3 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , further comprising a straight horizontal support and a traverse horizontal support;
 the straight horizontal support having a first end and a second end, the first end of the straight horizontal support being coupled to the first junction, the second end of the straight horizontal support being configured to be coupled to a second junction located in a second saddle other than the low level saddle; and   the traverse horizontal support having a first end and a second end, the first end of the traverse horizontal support being coupled to the first junction near the first end of the straight horizontal support, the second end of the traverse horizontal support being configured to be coupled to a third junction located in a third saddle other than the low level saddle and the second saddle.   
     
     
         4 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the junction comprises a plurality of spaced-apart tabs, the plurality of spaced-apart tabs defining at least one gap for receiving a portion of the at least one horizontal support. 
     
     
         5 . The flooring system of  claim 4 , wherein each gap is dimensioned to receive a portion of end of one horizontal support. 
     
     
         6 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pole support structure, the pole support structure being configured to rest on the base plate of the low elevation saddle, the pole support structure being further configured to be coupled to the first end of each of the at least two support beams.