What is "camber beam"

Camber \Cam"ber\, n. [Of. cambre bent, curved; akin to F. cambrer to vault, to bend, fr. L. camerare to arch over, fr. camera vault, arch. See Chamber, and cf. Camerate.]

1. (Shipbuilding) An upward convexity of a deck or other surface; as, she has a high camber (said of a vessel having an unusual convexity of deck).

2. (Arch.) An upward concavity in the under side of a beam, girder, or lintel; also, a slight upward concavity in a straight arch. See Hogback.

   Camber arch (Arch.), an arch whose intrados, though apparently straight, has a slightly concave curve upward.

   Camber beam (Arch.), a beam whose under side has a concave curve upward.

n. (context architecture English) A beam whose underside has a concave curve upward.

In building, a camber beam is a piece of timber cut archwise, and steel bent or rolled, with an obtuse angle in the middle, commonly used in platforms, as church leads, and other occasions where long and strong beams are required.

A camber beam is much stronger than another of the same size, since being laid with the hollow side downwards, as they usually are, they form a kind of supporting arch.