Conveyor idler support structure and methods for constructing the same

A method of manufacture of the framework comprising the steps of:

• forming a center section from sheet metal that comprises (a) an upper component defining a downwardly oriented channel having a longitudinal top surface and longitudinal sidewalls spaced apart from each other at an outer width, and including a first pair of spaced apart central riser tabs folded upwardly from the top surface, and (b) a lower component defining an upwardly oriented channel having longitudinal sidewalls spaced apart from each other at an inner width, and including a second pair of spaced apart central riser tabs folded upwardly from the top surface, wherein the outer width is less than the inner width;
• forming a pair of end risers, and affixing each of the pair of the end risers at each of respective opposing ends of the center section by metal attachment processes;
• wherein the step of forming the center section further comprises folding a first sheet metal blank into the upper component and a second sheet metal blank into the lower component, the step of folding including (a) bending upward, from cutouts in the upper component, the first pair of spaced apart central riser tabs and (b) bending upward, from cutouts in the lower component, the second pair of spaced apart central riser tabs;
• and
• nesting the upper component with respect to the lower component, wherein the sidewalls of the upper component nest within the sidewalls of the lower component and the first pair of spaced apart central riser tabs and second pair of spaced apart central riser tabs engage each other in an overlapping relationship to form a pair of spaced apart central risers.