Slotted drainage grate with support

A slotted grate having increased resistance to flexure, and comprising:

• (a) a strip of sheet material, the edges of which are bent twice along its longitudinally extending edges to form two U-shaped side channels whose open sides are mutually opposed, each said side channel defining a first shoulder having a free end and adapted to support a side wall section of a drainage channel into which the grate is positioned and a second shoulder defining the longitudinally extending dimension of said grate, the surface of the grate intermediate the two side channels defining a plurality of transverse slots therein along the length thereof for the passage of drainage water therethrough into a drainage channel onto which the grate is adapted to be positioned, the combination therewith of a support for said grate comprising:
• (b) a U-shaped arch open on each end and adapted to be positioned transversely across said grate in contact with the underside thereof intermediate at least some of the slots to provide support to the width of said grate;
• (c) each end of said support defining a shoulder having a width and depth sufficient to be positioned in and provide support to the two U-shaped mutually opposed side channels;
• and
• (d) said support including a mid-section intermediate its ends, wherein the shoulder depth of the mid-section of the support is greater than at the end sections so that the mid-section extends downwardly from said two U-shaped side channels and bears against and supports the innermost shoulder of the mutually opposed, inwardly facing side channels.

A drainage channel and grate assembly comprising;

• (a) a drainage channel comprising at least one elongate section having inner and outer walls, the inner walls defining a U-shaped, upwardly opening mouth for the passage of drainage water thereinto;
• (b) a slotted grate for being positioned in said drainage channel for providing a bearing surface over said drainage channel while allowing liquid to drain through said slotted grate, said slotted grate including a strip of sheet material, the edges of which are bent twice along its longitudinally extending edges to form two U-shaped side channels whose open sides are mutually opposed, each said side channel defining a first shoulder having a free end and adapted to support a side wall section of a drainage channel into which the grate is positioned and a second shoulder defining the longitudinally extending dimension of said grate, the surface of the grate intermediate the two side channels defining a plurality of transverse slots therein along the length thereof for the passage of a drainage water therethrough into said drainage channel;
• (c) a U-shaped arch open on each end and adapted to be positioned transversely across said grate in contact with the underside thereof intermediate at least some of the slots to provide support to the width of said grate;
• (d) each end of said support defining a shoulder having a width and depth sufficient to be positioned in and provide support to the two U-shaped mutually opposed side channels;
• and
• (e) said support including a mid-section intermediate its ends, wherein the shoulder depth of the mid-section of the support is greater than at the end sections so that the mid-section extends downwardly from said two U-shaped side channels and bears against and supports the innermost shoulder of the mutually opposed, inwardly facing side channels.