Basic beam structural member and structures built therefrom

Claim 1

A building structure assembled from a plurality of the same basic beam structural members, said structure comprising: parallel, spaced, generally horizontally and vertically disposed basic beam structural members arranged in transverse relation to each other; said horizontal members being engaged with said vertical members at preselected vertical heights thereon to form a framework structure with the vertical members; and fastening means for said horizontal members to said vertical members in a secure abutting relation; each of said horizontal members and said vertical members comprising an integral, elongated rigid structure having a pair of parallel, spaced, opposed U-shaped channel members, each said channel member having an end face and two side walls, and said side walls of each said channel extending towards and in a spaced, parallel relationship with the walls of the otHer channel member said U-shaped channel members defining passageways therein, one of said U-shaped channel members having an open face to provide access to the passageway therein; a pair of longitudinally extending, opposed recesses in the side walls of said U-shaped channel members, said recesses being formed by walls projecting inwardly from the respective side walls of the channel members, and a pair of spaced walls disposed between the inwardly projecting walls to thereby connect the opposed channel members, the pair of spaced walls defining a longitudinally extending slot therebetween; a reinforcing member disposed within the longitudinally extending slot, said member being coextensive with the length and width of the slot; and a cable disposed in the passageways of an interconnected vertical member, uppermost horizontal member forming a truss, and opposing vertical member, said cable being anchored to the foundation at each end thereof at the bottom of each of the opposing vertical members to thereby provide extra rigidity to the assembled structure.