Modular Reinforced Structural Beam and Connecting Member System

Abstract

A modular reinforced structural beam and connecting member system that includes at least one composite beam having two oppositely oriented triangular closed head portions and a transversally extending web interposed between said two closed head portions, each of said beams consisting of two separate members arranged such that corresponding head portions of said two members are nested one within the other and adjacent elements of the two members are in mutual stabilizing contact. A plurality of connecting members are connected to, and are in force transmitting contact with, one of the composite beams and another structural element.

1 . A modular reinforced structural beam and connecting member system, comprising:
 a) at least one composite beam having two oppositely oriented triangular closed heads and a transversally extending and longitudinally disposed web interposed between said two closed heads, each of said beams consisting of two separate members arranged such that corresponding head portions of said two members are configured with an essentially laterally disposed flange and are nested one within the other and that all pairs of adjacent elements of said two members, respectively, are in mutual stabilizing contact to produce each of said triangular closed heads; and   b) a plurality of connecting members, at least two of said connecting members being connected to, and in force transmitting contact with, one of said composite beams and another structural element, wherein at least one of said connecting members is connected to a flange and web of a composite beam by a moment connection.   
   
   
       2 . The beam system according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting member is connected to two composite beams by a moment connection to produce a combined beam, said combined beam being transversally adjustable. 
   
   
       3 . The beam system according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting member connected to a composite beam by a moment connection comprises at least one element which has the same thickness or is thicker than a corresponding element of the composite beans with which it is in force transmitting contact. 
   
   
       4 . The beam system according to  claim 1 , wherein each member of the composite beam comprises a first head portion, a second head portion, and a longitudinally disposed web portion interposed between said first head portion and second head portion, said first and second head portions being configured with a corresponding essentially laterally disposed flange, an oblique element extending from a first lateral end of said flange to said web portion, and an oblique lip extending from a first lateral end of said flange and having a length considerably shorter than that of said oblique element. 
   
   
       5 . The beam system according to  claim 4 , wherein the first and second head portions are configured with a single corresponding essentially laterally disposed flange, a first side of a triangular closed head comprising the two flanges of the two composite beam members, respectively, and second and third sides thereof comprising an oblique element of one of the composite beam members and a lip of the other composite beam member. 
   
   
       6 . The beam system according to  claim 5 , wherein, with respect to the second and third sides of a closed head, the angular spacing between the oblique element and its corresponding flange is essentially equal to the angular spacing between the lip element and its corresponding flange. 
   
   
       7 . The beam system according to  claim 5 , wherein adjacent sides of a triangular closed head are angularly spaced by an angle of 60 degrees. 
   
   
       8 . The beam system according to  claim 5 , wherein each beam member is cold rolled. 
   
   
       9 . The beam system according to  claim 1 , further comprising means for joining corresponding flanges of first and second beam members, for preventing relative transversal displacement of one of said beam members. 
   
   
       10 . The beam system according to  claim 9 , wherein the flange joining means are cold fasteners. 
   
   
       11 . The beam system according to  claim 4 , further comprising means for joining corresponding web portions of the first and second beam members. 
   
   
       12 . The beam system according to  claim 11 , wherein the web joining means are cold fasteners. 
   
   
       13 . The beam system according to  claim 4 , wherein the flange of the first head portion has a longer lateral, dimension than the flange of the second flange portion. 
   
   
       14 . The beam system according to  claim 13 , wherein first and second members are identical, said second member being in opposite orientation than said first member such that the first head portion of the second member is nested within the second head portion of the first member and the first head portion of the first member is nested within the second head portion of the second member. 
   
   
       15 . The beam system according to  claim 4 , wherein the flange of the first head portion has the same lateral dimension as the flange of the second flange portion. 
   
   
       16 . The beam system according to  claim 15 , wherein the first head portion of a second member is nested within the first head portion of a first member and the second head portion of the second member is nested within the second head portion of the first member. 
   
   
       17 . The beam system according to  claim 13 , wherein the first head portion of the second member is nested within the first head portion of the first member and the second head portion of the second member is nested within the second head portion of the first member. 
   
   
       18 . The beam system according to  claim 1 , wherein apices of the head portion of a first member are stiffened by the head portion of a second member in which said first member head portion is nested. 
   
   
       19 . The beam system according to  claim 18 , wherein a junction between the oblique element and web portion of the first member and a junction between the oblique element and web portion of the second, member are coplanar on a plane parallel to the corresponding flanges. 
   
   
       20 . The beam system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a connecting member which is connected to a web of a composite beam by a shear connection. 
   
   
       21 . The beam system according to  claim 1 , wherein a connecting member is connected to a composite beam by weans of cold fasteners engageable with corresponding aligned apertures bored in the connecting member and beam. 
   
   
       22 . The beam system according to  claim 21 , wherein the connecting member is an off the shelf product which is connected in situ by means of cold fasteners. 
   
   
       23 . The beam system according to  claim 21 , wherein the connecting member comprises more than one element which are welded together. 
   
   
       24 . The beam system according to  claim 21 , wherein a connecting member is connected to a composite beam by means of cold fasteners and a reaction plate insert attached internally to said beam. 
   
   
       25 . The beam system according to  claim 21 , wherein a connecting member is configured as a sleeve having selected transversal, longitudinal and lateral dimensions, and is adapted to completely surround and to be in mutually stabilizing contact with a portion of a composite beam perimeter having said selected dimensions. 
   
   
       26 . The beam system according to  claim 25 , wherein the sleeve comprises two cold rolled elements that are welded together. 
   
   
       27 . The beam system according to  claim 25 , wherein the sleeve comprises a single element; two adjacent edges of which are welded together. 
   
   
       28 . The beam system according to  claim 27 , wherein the sleeve comprises two adjacent half sleeves that are connected to the two lateral sides, respectively, of a beam. 
   
   
       29 . The beam system according to  claim 21 , wherein the connecting member is configured with only one web. 
   
   
       30 . The beam system according to  claim 29 , wherein the web of the connecting member is substantially shorter than the web of the beam to which the connecting member is attached. 
   
   
       31 . The beam system according to  claim 21 , wherein a connecting member comprises a plate in force transmitting contact with a web or flange of a beam. 
   
   
       32 . The beam system according to  claim 31 , wherein the connecting member comprises two angularly spaced plates and an element extending between, and oblique with respect to, said two plates. 
   
   
       33 . The beam system according to  claim 21 , wherein the connecting member further comprises at least one rib.