Storage rack and beam for use therein

Claim 1

A storage rack comprising at least one pair of spaced apart horizontal beams, vertical posts at the ends of said beams in parallel relationship to each other, means at both ends of each of said beams interconnecting said beams and said posts, each of said beams being made from a single sheet of structural material and having a bottom wall, first and second upstanding vertical side walls, said first wall extending upward to the top surface of said beam, said second upstanding side wall terminating substantially short of said top surface and having attached thereto an inwardly extending horizontal ledge, an upstanding shoulder attached to the interior edge of said ledge and extending upward to the top surface of said beam, a pair of top wall elements approximately equal in width extending toward each other from the upper edges of said first upstanding wall and said shoulder, each of said top wall elements being turned under upon itself to provide arcuate edge surfaces which substantially abut each other longitudinally, the total width of said top wall elements including said turned under portions being equal to the width of said bottom wall plus or minus about 20 percent, and weld means extending longitudinally of said beam joining said arcuate edges to complete a tubular shape having excellent stiffness and strength per unit weight, said beams being located with said shoulders facing each other with said ledges disposed to support flat decking extending therebetween.