Improvements in or relating to beams for building and constructional purposes

513,509. Beams. KILBURN, B. E. D., (Smidth & Co. Aktieselskab, F. L.). April 12, 1938, No. 11267. [Class 20 (iv)] A beam for building and like purposes comprising a compression flange 1 and a tension flange or bulb spaced apart by a plane web 3 is formed by folding one or more sheets of asbestos-cement in a moist or plastic condition into two or more superimposed layers to form the section required, with' or without a metal reinforcement. The reinforcement may be provided between superimposed asbestos-cement layers in the form of wire-netting, or rods connected by cross-ties. The reinforcement may be previously coated with cement paste to increase the adhesion between the reinforcement and asbestos-cement. The T-shaped beam shown is folded from a single sheet of asbestos-cement, a reinforcing bar 2 being incorporated in the bottom bulbous portion of the web, and a sheet 4 of wire-netting being enclosed between the two layers of material constituting the web 3. A single sheet of asbestos-cement may also be folded to form a beam of Z, channel, or other section, and, if desired, another asbestos-cement sheet may be folded around the outside of a section formed as described, with or without an interposed layer of metal reinforcement.