Cover assembly for structural members

An expansion joint for a building structure comprising:

• two spaced structural members defining a gap therebetween;
• and
• a cover assembly comprising an elongated resilient cover having a load bearing surface opposite a support surface including marginal support areas along opposite lateral edges thereof, said cover having a thickness and sufficient elasticity to elastically deform for establishing supporting contact between said marginal support areas and underlying horizontal structural members adjacent an expansion joint;
• a rigid plate member secured along said support surface of said elongated resilient cover by an attachment means for bridging a joint formed in a gap between said horizontal structural members;
• and
• a plurality of fasteners engaged with said cover at spaced apart sites along at least one lateral side portion of said resilient cover to elastically anchor said elongated resilient cover to at least one of the horizontal structural members.

A cover assembly for a gap between two structural members comprising:

• an elongated resilient cover having a load bearing surface opposite a support surface including marginal support areas along opposite lateral edges thereof, said cover having a thickness and sufficient elasticity to elastically deform for establishing supporting contact between said marginal support areas and underlying horizontal structural members adjacent to a gap between said structural members;
• a rigid plate member secured by and encapsulated within said elongated resilient cover for bridging a gap between said horizontal structural members;
• and
• a plurality of fasteners engaged with said cover at spaced apart sites along at least one lateral side portion of said cover for elastically anchoring said elongated resilient cover to at least one of the horizontal structural members.

A method for the installation of a cover assembly across a gap between two structural member comprising:

• providing a cover assembly comprising an elongated resilient cover having a load bearing surface opposite a support surface including marginal support areas along opposite lateral edges thereof, said cover having a thickness and sufficient elasticity to elastically deform for establishing supporting contact between said marginal support areas and underlying horizontal structural members;
• a rigid plate member secured along said support surface of said elongated resilient cover by an attachment means for bridging a joint formed in a gap between said horizontal structural members;
• and
• a plurality of fasteners engaged with said cover at spaced apart sites along at least one lateral side portion of said resilient cover to elastically anchor said elongated resilient cover to at least one of the horizontal structural members;
• and
• placing said cover assembly across said gap.