Patent ID: 8028493

Claim:
A method of constructing a floor, comprising the steps of: (a) arranging a plurality of I- or H-shaped beams comprising at least one pre-formed beam having flanges and a web extending between the flanges, the or each pre-formed beam having openings located in the web so as to form a support structure for floor units, wherein the or each pre-formed beam comprises a cellular T-section and a solid T-section welded together, wherein each T-section comprises a flange and a partial web, wherein the or each pre-formed beam is or has been obtained by a process comprising the steps of: (b) taking a first I- or H-shaped beam, making a first cut generally longitudinally along the web thereof, making a second cut generally longitudinally along the web thereof, the second cut being non-parallel to the first cut, the two cuts defining the shape of two cellular T-sections comprising rectilinear sections lying on alternative sides of a longitudinal centre line of the web and at least partly curvilinear sections joining the closest ends of the adjacent rectilinear sections, separating the two cellular T-sections from the first beam; (c) taking a second I- or H-shaped beam, making a cut along the web thereof parallel to the longitudinal axis defining the shape of two solid T-sections, separating the two solid T-sections from the second beam; and (d) welding the partial web of one cellular T-section of the first beam to the partial web of one solid T-section of the second beam; and (e) disposing floor units between the beams, the floor units being accommodated between the horizontal flanges of the beams.