Structural beam

A fabricated structural beam, comprising:

• a longitudinally extending top plate having a pair of longitudinally extending opposite edge regions;
• a longitudinally extending cylindrical bottom tube, the bottom tube being spaced from and extending parallel with the top plate equidistant from the edge regions of the top plate;
• and,
• a web plate of generally V shape in transverse cross section, the web plate providing a pair of web portions and a bend portion between the web portions, the bend portion extending about the bottom tube so that the bottom tube nests along the web plate, the web plate being connected to the bottom tube along opposite side regions thereof, and the web portions extending one from each side of the bottom tube to the top plate, each web portion having a longitudinally extending connection region connected along the top plate adjacent a respective edge region of the top plate, wherein the beam tapers in lateral extent from the top plate to the bottom tube.

A torsion beam crane, comprising:

• a bridge beam for spanning a load working area, the bridge beam having a longitudinally extending top plate with a pair of longitudinally extending opposite edge regions, a longitudinally extending bottom tube spaced from and extending parallel with the top plate, and at least one side web interconnecting the top plate and bottom tube, wherein the beam has a narrower lateral extent at the bottom tube than at the top plate;
• a trolley mounted on the beam for movement therealong, the trolley being located adjacent the top plate and cantilevered from one side of the beam;
• and,
• a hoist carried by the trolley so as to be positioned to the one side of the beam, the hoist including a hook unit which can be raised and lowered relative to the trolley during operation of the hoist, the narrower lateral extent of the beam adjacent the bottom tube member providing a clearance space to the one side of the beam to enable raising of the hook unit into a position adjacent the one side of the beam during use of the crane.

In a torsion crane, comprising:

• a bridge beam for spanning a load working area, the bridge beam having a longitudinally extending top plate;
• a trolley mounted on the top plate for movement therealong, and being cantilevered from one side of the beam;
• and
• a hoist carried by the trolley so as to be positioned to the one side of the beam, the hoist including a hook unit which can be raised and lowered relative to the trolley during operation of the hoist;
• the improvement comprising:
• the bridge beam having a longitudinally extending bottom tube spaced from and extending parallel with the top plate, and at leat one side web interconnecting the top plate and bottom tube, wherein the beam has a narrower lateral extent at the bottom tube than at the top plate to provide a clearance space to the one side of the beam to enable raising of the hook unit into the clearance space to the one side of the beam.