GB1391472A - Structural beams - Google Patents

Abstract

1391472 Roof or floor structures H J WELZ 4 April 1972 [2 April 1971 23 Dec 1971] 15423/72 Headings E1K and E1W A roof or floor structure is of cellular construction and consists of a beam formed by upper and lower sheets 112, 114, preferably of zinc-coated steel sheeting, at least the upper sheet being of profiled section, so as to define with the lower sheet a series of enclosed spaces each extending longitudinally of the beam, and there being a plurality of longitudinally extending parallel ribs and grooves on at least the lower sheet associated with each of the enclosed spaces. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, both sheets are profiled and have grooves 124 and ribs 126 in their horizontal portions 122, the sheets being joined by welding together opposed flanges 128, 130 of the respective sheets. These flanges may also be welded at their edges 125 to similar flanges on another pair of sheets arranged side-by-side with the first pair so that a continuous structure providing a series of ducts 22 is provided. The ducts may be used for ventilating air and may communicate with the space below the structure via apertures 146. The ducts may alternatively be filled with insulating material or house electrical installations. In Fig. 2, a plate 140 divides the ducts so that a lower portion below the plate can have heating or cooling water circulated through it, the water being supplied via an inverted channel formed in the plate 140 and extending transversely to the grooves 124 (Fig. 4, not shown). The water may supply sprinklers of a sprinkler system. In the embodiment of Fig. 2 at least some of the inverted channels formed by the ribs 126 are of trapezoidal section and are filled with sound damping material 172.