Patent ID: 8240054

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a support beam, comprising providing a first alignment tool having a sheet-like configuration defining an alignment plane, the alignment tool being generally U-shaped including a rectangular body portion and first and second leg portions on opposing sides of the body portion, a first slot formed between the body portion and the first leg, and a second slot formed between the body portion and the second leg, the first and second slots being parallel to each other and passing through the alignment plane defined by the alignment tool, the body portion having an alignment surface extending between the first and second slots at an alignment angle, providing a first piece of strip material defining a first plane when the first piece is laid flat, the first piece having a first end, a second end, and a first longitudinal centerline running from the first end of the first piece to the second end of the first piece, the first longitudinal centerline being curvilinear in the first plane, providing a second piece of strip material defining a second plane when the second piece is laid flat, the second piece having a first end, a second end, and a second longitudinal centerline running from the first end of the second piece to the second end of the second piece, the second longitudinal centerline being curvilinear in the second plane, placing the first piece of strip material into the first slot of the alignment tool, placing the second piece of strip material in longitudinal contact with the first strip and in contact with the alignment surface of the alignment tool, such that the second piece of strip material is oriented at the alignment angle to the first piece of strip material in the alignment plane, permanently securing the first piece to the second piece near the alignment tool, moving the alignment tool longitudinally along the first and second pieces, repeating the aligning, securing, and moving steps until the first and second strips are attached along a desired length, the repeating step resulting in forming a rigid structure in which the first piece bends out of the first plane, and the second piece bends out of the second plane.