Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 4.djvu/557

Rh CASEMENTS.] BUILDING 495 should be a high one, this second leaf often requires a bolt at top and bottom, to secure it against the force of the wind, which by bending it admits the cold air and wet. When it is placed towards an exposed aspect, and is thus subject to driving rains, it is necessary to take many precautions for the prevention of wet being blown through the meet ing surfaces all round the casements. To effect this object, the styles, rails, and frames are sunk and beaded iu various ways. Figs. 92 and 93 represent oills and Fig. 92. Fig. 94. FIGS. 92-97. French Casement fittings bottom rails ; and fig. 94, meeting rail, styles, and frame, which last is an ordinary arrangement in France. An improvement to the mere handle for securing the leaf of the casement is that of affixing an upright metal rod, which is turned by the handle C, fig. 92, on the leaf being closed, and by hooks at top and bottom as B, fig. 95, catching into a plate fixed for them, and effectually fastening it. A simpler method has been shown where, in lieu of the rod, a reeded bar, as D, fig 96, is moved to and fro as the leaf is required to be opened or shut, the top and bottom of the bar being rounded as shown at E, fig. 97, so as to slide into two segmental plates F, secured to the sill and lintel. Fig. 96 is a plan of the two casements, and 97 a plan of the head and sill. The metal rod, which is of brass, is called the Espagnolette bolt. Another mode of [securing the casements has lately been introduced, whereby a flat plate, the whole height of the opening, is inserted in a groove formed in one edge of the meeting style of a leaf ; and on this being closed the plate is shot forward by a handle into a groove in the other leaf, fasten ing the two together, the plate forming a stop against both the wind and the rain. This is a patent arrangement of Arch. Smith and Co. Fig. 98 is a plan of the usual French casement used at Paris. A shows the two leaves of the casement when shut ; B is a plan of the shutters in their boxing, CO the shutters when closed, D the bolt, E the inside architrave and F the Persiennes, or outside blinds, shut against the stone reveals, and so provided for by the architect, instead of being an addition made by the upholsterer after the work is done, and perhaps spoiling the design. The ordinary mode is for them to be hung with projecting hinges to admit of their being folded back into the face of the wall, which is a hideous arrangement for any facade, except perhaps one of plain brickwork or plain cement. GG shows the position of the blinds when shut, and II is the outside architrave. Much difficulty arises in preventing the rain and wind from penetrating under such doors. The French raise the doors very much to secure this, as shown in figs. 92 and 94. In England various methods have been adopted by forming second sills of metal cast into shapes to form gutters and throats ; perhaps the best arrange ment is the &quot;patent sill or water bar&quot; (fig. 99), as now manufactured by Z!Z3iEE:!i^^ Archibald Smith and Co. A metal plate A is screwed to the face of the bottom rail. An arrangement F 4 98 ; Section of in metal B is screwed to the upper French Window. .-, ,, . . 11 11 weathering of the wood sill C, having on its outer edge a plate D hinged to it. When the door is opened this plate falls down, and when the door or leaf is shut, a pin E, let into the underside of the bottom rail, forces up the hinged plate D, and presses it against the first named plate A, making all tight. Fig. 100 is a section of a mediaeval moulded bottom rail found in France. When the window lights are carried up over the casements, as is very often the case, the upper lights are generally fixed ; but it is better that one or two of them should be ren- FIG. 99. Water Bar. dered available for ventilating the apartment when it is not desirable to have the door itself open. This will be effected by hinging the light on the bot tom rail, with the necessary means of opening and closing it, or placing it on centre hinges at the sides. Sashes hung with lines require cased frames (Plate XXVI. figs. 1, 4), to receive the pulleys and weights. The sill of Cased frames FIG. 100. Ancient French Bottom Bail. the frame is made, as in the former cases, solid, is sunk and weathered, and is generally made of a more durable material than the rest of the frame ; the sides in the direction of the thickness of the frame are of one and a quarter or one and a half inch board, very truly tried up, and grooved to receive a parting bead ; for it must be obvious that sashes hung with lines to run vertically up and down within the height of the frame must be themselves in two heights, and must pass each other in separate and dis tinct channels. The ends of these boards are fixed into the upper face of the solid sill below, and into a similar board parallel to the sill which forms a head above, and they are called pulley pieces, or styles, because they receive the pulleys, which are let into them near their upper ends.