Architectural and Engineering Glossary
S
Same as sekos.
A joint appearing to be a simple miter joint when assembled,but having dovetailing concealed within it.Same as Italian Renais- sance Revival.
A spring latch which is surface mounted on an office gate (or the like);operated by a concealed button or actuated electrically.
A concealed gutter.
An interlocking joint in an ashlar voussoir that is not visible on the face.
A room,often in a garret,whose entrance is hidden.
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A kind of pavement formed of slabs or tiles of glass or other material,the pieces having a uniform size (far larger than the tesserae of ordinary mosaic) and being either plain colored or mottled and veined.
The moment of inertia of the area of the cross section of a structural member divided by the distance from the center of gravity to the farthest point of the section;a measure of the flexural strength of the beam.
See joint mold.
Thermal insulation fabricated in sections which fit together,such as molded pipe insulation made of two or more annular segments.
A portable ladder that is not self supporting and not adjustable in length;consists of two or more sections of ladder that may be combined for use as a single ladder.
A three part format for organizing building specifications into sections,according to the Construction Specifications Institute
A twisted surface which is between the groins of a vault.
See burglar alarm system.
Electrical contacts mounted on the doors of vaults,security file cabinets,etc.When the door is opened,the contacts separate,thereby activating an alarm.
A film defect of lowered gloss in a high gloss enamel or varnish;develops during drying.
A porch,or a room lined with windows, used for sleeping;often located in an extension to a house,above another porch,or above a porte cochère.
See pipe sleeve.
A short,decorative fence,usually made of light lumber and extending out from a dwelling.
Veneer which is machinesliced,from the flat surface of flitch or squared log,in long,thin,straight slices.
A downward cut with a sliding movement.
In delivering concrete by pipeline,the end section of pipeline which is immersed in the placed concrete and moved as the work progresses.
A darby.
See slip form.
A window or door which moves horizontally in grooves or between runners.
See sliding sash.
An instant starting fluorescent lamp having a rugged,single pin base.
That fraction of the fuel load which has the potential of producing smoke.
A vertical metal slot,on both sides of the proscenium arch,in which the edges of the asbestos curtain move.
A stairwell which provides with direct access to outdoor air at each floor level and which meets the requirements of the applicable code.
A device which gives off dense smoke;used in a smoke test of sections of piping.
A door or pair of doors placed in a corridor to restrict the spread of smoke and to retard the spread of fire by reducing the draft.
A test in which nontoxic,visible smoke is introduced in an airdistribution system,ductwork,piping,etc.to indicate the routes taken by air currents and/or to detect leaks.
A chimney.
A partition to retard the passage of smoke;any opening in such partition is protected by a door equipped with a self closing device.
The combustion of solid materials without the accompaniment of flame.
A rectangular stone block having smooth faces,ready for laying.
See smooth machine finish.
See smooth machine finish.
Ceramic tile whose surfaces are not altered or marked in manufacture but are left flat or level as formed by the die.
A small fine plane used for finishing.
A kind of hone slate or whetstone;used for polishing scagliola or the like.
Same as letterwood.
See rivet set.
Same as buttonhead.
A brick header that has been cut in two,at the middle of the long edge.
Masonry laid with considerable use of snap headers rather than full headers.
A pulley block that can be opened on the side to receive the bight of a rope.
A carpenter’s plane with a sharp arris used to form the quirks,1 in moldings.
Same as tin snips.
