"Suppose the breadth of the roof to be '20 feet, the length more on one side than on the other, as in the Design, A B c D. then draw the gable end, A E B, whose sides, from A to 11, and 1'1.001 E to a, are throe-fou•ths of the breadth of the house, or the length of the principal rafters; then draw the perpendi cular, E F, the height of the roof from the floor ; and, if kneed, then from the top of the knee, as in the design of a Itined rafter, befin.e-going.
"The sides of the roof, which make the ridge Gtr I a, to be drawn as described in the foregoing design.
" Divide the breadth of the roof in two equal parts, as F L Q, then take the distance L N, which is the half breadth of the house, and make it parallel to c Q D, as at L re, and L will be the point whose perpendiculars, o T, will meet the principals. rafters. and hips." " To find the length of each hip, distinct one front the other.— Of the longest hips.—Draw the diagonal line L c, and take the height of the gable end, a F, and place it perpendi cular to L c, at o; so have you the height of the roof per pendicular from o L, equal to E F, the gable end ; and the line o c will be the length of the hip-rafter, which will be equal to c it, the skirt for that side of the hip, and c r the that hip end.
To find the back of the longest hip, c o.—Lay the ruler from the point n1. to Q, and mark where it cuts the diagonal line at a; then set the foot of the compasses at the point a, and extend the other foot till it touch the line c o at the nearest distance; then make it touch the diagonal line at s, then draw the lines M s Q, which is the hack of the hip for that Corner of the roof.
"To find the shortest hip.—Draw the diagonal L D, and take a F, the perpendicular of the gable end, as before, and place it from L to T, perpendicular to r. D; then draw the line er D, which is the length of the hip for that corner, and is equal to the skirt, D 1, and the side of that hip, n which, when erected, will meet with the other principals, perpendicular to the point I..
" To find the back of the hip.—Lay the ruler from the point Q to the point a, and mark where it cuts the diagonal line L at v: extend the compasses from the point v, to touch the line T n at the nearest distance, and carry that distance on the diagonal line to the point w ; then draw the pricked lines t,t rw Q, which will make the back of that hip fit for that bevel corner.
"And this rule serves for all bevel roofs, whether over or under pitch." Figure 5.—" Of a roof bevel at both ends, and broader at one end than the other.
"A B c D. The length and breadth of the house.
"E F G. The length of the rafters, or pitch between the widest and narrowest ends, about the middle of the house, to stand over the pricked line T T, for the foot F to stand, on the one the foot G to stand on the other T.
" to u. The point of the two hip ends, when brought to their due place, will be perpendicular to P r, and will meet the sides t L a, over the points P 1'.
" o, o, o, O. The points of the perpendiculars, and length of the hips, from A B C D.
" Q, o, Q, Q. The backs of the hips, or hip-mould to each corner.
"R, R, R. The points to find out the point for each back.
"s s, s s. The lines representing half the breadth of the house. parallel to each end.
"T T. Representing the middle of the house.
" Notwithstanding the bevel ends, you may place your beams for your principal rafters to stand on a square, or so near a square as may he, or between both, as from the ends of the pricked lines I L N. bringing the outside of them straight under P P. which will be more handsome for the house in the inside, although it bevels outward." The foregoing descriptions and diagrams contain all that is said on carpentry by Godfrey Richards; we shall now add a few observations.
In the explanation of Figure], Plate T., CARPENTRY, we have the names of the several timbers which constitute a floor, and the manner in which they are disposed. In this explanation, and the plan which accompanies it, we find girders, summers, and bressummers. The summer runs parallel to the front of the building; another piece of timber is placed in the front, parallel to, and in the same level with the summer; if the front timber terminate the apertures at their height, and the wall he of brick, this timber is called a lintel ; but if the lower side of the timber do not termi nate the windows, it is called a wall-plate. If the front wall is constructed of timber-work, then the level piece of timber in the floor, and in the front of the house, is called a bres summer, , which in modern carpentry. when employed in the same office, still retains that name; and hence the term bressianmer signifies a summer in the breast or front of the building. The use of the summer was to support the ends of the adjacent girders ; and the bressummer was not only to support the end of the one girder, but to tie the front together. In the present construction of houses, summers are not employed. In old carpentry, the girders supporting the joisting were sustained at their ends by the summers and bre.ssummers, lintels, or wall-plates. In modern carpentry, the girders are sustained by opposite walls, upon plates or lintels, and are still used over every extensive bearing to support the joist lug.