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An extendable beam has compact slideable segments with angular extensions connected by cables which are tensioned to strengthen the beam when the beam is extended by sliding the segments. Restraining parts slide along tracks on neighboring segments. Short fixed length cables are connected between ti

An extendable beam has compact slideable segments with angular extensions connected by cables which are tensioned to strengthen the beam when the beam is extended by sliding the segments. Restraining parts slide along tracks on neighboring segments. Short fixed length cables are connected between tips of extensions and diagonally between extension tips and segments are tensioned when hinged extensions are deployed. Other cables are paid out and tensioned, connecting tips of extensions on adjacent segments. Internal pulleys and beam extension cables simultaneously slide adjacent segments to extend the beam. An external crane and lock extend the beam serially.

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1. Extendable beam system comprising plural side by side rigid plates, connected for relative sliding until the plates are fully extended in a beam, angular extensions attached to each rigid plate, short diagonal cables connected between outer ends of the angular extensions and parts of the rigid pl

1. Extendable beam system comprising plural side by side rigid plates, connected for relative sliding until the plates are fully extended in a beam, angular extensions attached to each rigid plate, short diagonal cables connected between outer ends of the angular extensions and parts of the rigid plates remote from the angular extensions, longitudinal cables attached to outer ends of the angular extensions, whereby the short diagonal cables are tensioned when the angular extensions are extended from the plates, and the longitudinal cables are tensioned as the angular extensions are extended from the rigid plates and as the beam is being extended and when the rigid plates are fully extended in the beam, and wherein the longitudinal cables are tensioned while the rigid plates in the beam are being extended or retracted. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the angular extensions are fold-out extensions having inner ends hinged to the rigid plates and having the outer ends remote from the plates, and wherein the short diagonal cables are tensioned when the fold-out extensions are fully folded out. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the longitudinal cables are moved outward from the rigid plates as the extensions are folded outward from the rigid plates. 4. The system of claim 2, wherein each plate has plural fold-out extensions and plural short diagonal cables for forming a three-dimensional structural element with each rigid plate, the plural fold-out extensions connected to the plate and the short diagonal cables connected between outer ends of the extensions and remote portions of the plate, and the longitudinal cables attached to the outer ends of the extensions. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plates have three-dimensional rigid plates and each rigid plate does not surround or circumferentially enclose an adjacent plate. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the extensions are rigidly connected to the plates. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the extensions extend from the plates in three or more angularly related senses of direction with respect to the plates. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the beam is extended vertically as a tower. 9. The system of claim 8 further comprising anchors positioned away from the beam and outrigger cables connected between the anchors and the outer ends of some of the extensions for stabilizing the tower. 10. The system of claim 1 wherein the beam extends vertically and is deployed horizontally as a bridge, and further comprising a roadway having connected planar parts for connecting to the plates as a travelway. 11. The system of claim 1 further comprising lower and upper guides on the plates, at least one beam-extending cable extended around the guides, and a winch connected to the at least one beam-extending cable for pulling the beam-extending cable and drawing the lower guides on the plates toward the upper guides on adjacent plates, and thereby extending the beam. 12. The system of claim 11 wherein the guides are freely rotating pulleys, around which the beam-extending cable passes. 13. The system of claim 12 further comprising pulleys near outer ends and inner ends of the extensions, wherein the longitudinal cables comprise plural short longitudinal cables having upper ends connected to the outer ends of upper extensions and passing around the pulleys on lower extensions and connected to the plates for tensioning the short longitudinal cables upon extension of the beam. 14. The system of claim 1 further comprising guides at upper ends of the plates and plural beam-extending cables having intermediate portions passing around the guides on intermediate plates and having opposite ends connected to lower parts of adjacent plates on opposite sides of the intermediate plates and a similar lower beam-extending cable passing around guides on an end plate and having a first end connected to a lower end of the next adjacent plate and a second end connected to a winch for taking in and shortening the lower beam-extending cable and extending the next adjacent plate and thereby concurrently extending the remaining plates with the plural beam-extending cables. 15. The system of claim 1 further comprising unit cross extension cables extending between outer ends of extensions connected to each of the plates. 16. The system of claim 1 further comprising anchors and anchor cables connected to the beam and passing around the anchor cables, guides on the plates, beam-extending cables passing around the guides, coordinated winches for taking in at least one of the beam-extending cables while paying out the longitudinal cables and paying out the anchor cables. 17. The system of claim 16 further comprising tensioners for tensioning the anchor cables after the beam is extended. 18. The system of claim 1 wherein the plates are arranged in parallel spaced relationship for extending as two beams. 19. The system of claim 18 further comprising intermediate extensions hinged to the plates and extending between opposite plates, the intermediate extensions having medial hinges for straightening the intermediate extensions as they are fully extended to space the two beams. 20. The system of claim 19 wherein the two beams are extended and fixed horizontally and further comprising a roadbed extended between the two beams. 21. The system of claim 20 wherein the road bed is stored in accordion form with hinged interconnected sections. 22. A beam extension system comprising plural structural units, plural slideable rigid plate elements in the structural units, the slideable rigid plate elements being arrangeable end to end as a beam, extensions connected to each of the rigid plate elements in each structural unit, diagonal cables connected between outer portions of the extensions and the rigid plate elements to which the extensions are attached, transverse cables connected between outer portions of the extensions on each rigid element, and longitudinal extendable cables connected to outer ends of the extensions on adjacent rigid plate elements. 23. An extendable beam structure comprising a central beam formed of slideable open nested parallel plates, wherein one plate does not circumferentially enclose or surround another adjacent plate, with pivoted perpendicular extensions from the central beam, a network of supporting cables connected to the central beam and to the pivoted extensions that support the central beam when extending and extended against bending and torsion moments, and maintain axial rigidity of the central beam. 24. The structure of claim 23 wherein the central beam further comprises a plurality of rigid plate beam segments and restraining parts that are stowed in a compact form with the rigid plate beam segments aligned parallel to each other, wherein the rigid plate beam segments are connected to each other through the restraining parts that grip one end of each or the rigid plate beam segments with an opposite end of an adjacent rigid plate beam segment. 25. The structure of claim 24 further comprising tracks in the rigid plate beam segments and wherein during deployment the rigid plate beam segments slide past each other and the restraining parts slide along the tracks in the rigid plate beam segments and maintain a constant restraining force linking the one end of each rigid plate beam segment with the opposite end of the adjacent rigid plate beam segment. 26. The structure of claim 23, wherein the beam extensions are linked to the rigid plate beam segments through hinges that allow the beam extensions to be stowed parallel to the rigid plate beam segments then to be automatically rotated outward during deployment until the beam extensions are perpendicular to the rigid plate beam segments. 27. The structure of claim 26 wherein the network of cables further comprises fixed length cables connected from a tip of each beam extension to an adjacent beam extension in a plane orthogonal to the central beam, and wherein the rotation outward of the plurality of beam extensions makes taut the fixed length cables. 28. The structure of claim 26 wherein the network of cables further comprises diagonal fixed length cables extending from a tip of each beam extension to an opposite end of each rigid plate beam segment that supports the beam extension, and wherein the diagonal fixed length cables are made taut by the outward rotation of the beam extensions. 29. The structure of claim 26 wherein the network of cables further comprises extendable cables that connect a tip of each beam extension connected at a base of a rigid plate beam segment with a top of a beam extension at a base of a neighboring rigid plate beam segment, wherein the extendable cables during the deployment play out from the tip of one beam extension to the tip of the beam extension at the neighboring rigid plate beam segment, with a length of the played out cable equal to a relative length of travel of one rigid plate beam segment sliding past a neighboring rigid plate beam segment. 30. The structure of claim 26 wherein the network of cables further comprises extendable cables anchored at one end of a rigid plate beam segment, traveling through a series of pulleys, through the hinged area at an opposite end of the segment, through base of the beam extension on the base, through the beam extension to its tip and is connected to a tip of an adjacent beam extension structure where the extendable cable is played out as the segments slide past each other during the deployment phase. 31. The structure of claim 23, wherein deployment of the central beam is driven by extending each rigid plate beam segment relative to its neighboring segment by an external force, wherein extension of the rigid plate beam segments is in a sequential manner with each segment in turn extended relative to a neighboring segment, with one end of a segment affixed to an opposite end of the neighboring segment by a locking mechanism. 32. The structure of claim 23, wherein deployment of the central beam is driven by extending each rigid plate beam segment relative to its neighboring segment by means of an internal beam extension cable and pulleys wherein retraction of the beam extension cable connecting one end of a base segment with the other end of an adjacent segment propels one segment to slide past the adjacent segment, and wherein the retraction of the cable is powered by a motorized winch, wherein extension of the beam is executed simultaneously with the retraction of the internal beam extension cable forcing each beam segment to slide past its neighbor segment. 33. The structure of claim 32, wherein extension of each segment is restrained by a system wherein a first cable running from a first segment travels through pulleys to the opposite end of a second adjacent segment and down to a base of a third base segment where the first cable is anchored, a separate second cable attached to a base of the second plate running through pulleys at an opposite end of the first base plate is retracted by a winch, causing the controlled extension of the second base segment by an amount equal to the length of the cable retracted, wherein the motion of the second base segment relative to the first segment has the effect of extending the third segment relative to the second segment, by means of the first cable which by the extension of second segment shortens a length of the first cable relative to the third segment by an amount which is equal to the length of cable retracted by the winch, wherein the same process is extended to each segment pair such that the beam extension process is controlled such that the extension of each pair is equal to a length of cable refracted by the winch, and thus each beam segment is extended by an equal amount. 34. The structure of claim 23 wherein lengths of the perpendicular beam extensions is determined by requirements of cables attached to outer tips of the extensions, so that the cables are not fouled during extension of the central beam. 35. The structure of claim 24, wherein the beam extensions and fixed length cables are anchored to orthogonal nested extensions at each end of the nested beam segments that allow attachment points on three sides at each end of bases of the segments. 36. The system of claim 1, wherein each longitudinal cable is attached near a top of a first rigid plate, extends through guides on an extension attached to a second above plate, and is connected near an outer end of an extension attached to a third above plate.