Patent ID: 8181423

Claim:
A channel-shaped structural beam comprising: a planar elongate web; and, hollow parallel sided substantially rectangular flanges extending parallel to each other perpendicularly from a plane of said web along opposite sides thereof, said hollow flanges both extending in the same direction away from one face of said web, wherein an end face of each of said flanges is coplanar with said web and continuously welded to one of the opposite sides of said web; said beam having a ratio of the width of each said flange between opposite end faces thereof in a direction perpendicular to said plane of said web and the depth of said beam between opposite outer faces of said flanges in the ratio of from 0.2 to 0.4, said beam having a ratio of the width of each said flange to the depth of each said flange in the range of from 1.5 to 4.0, and said beam having a ratio of the width of each said flange to the thickness of said web in the range of from 15 to 50.