[Illustration: Fig. 2.—Barn Bent, Showing Gambrel Roof Construction.]
At 16 16 the main plates, made of two 2 × 8 inch plank, are placed into a V-trough and inverted over the top of the post. The rafters 17 17 may be spliced on the purlin plates. The topmost intersections are bolted, as shown by means of the dots. The upper ends of the purlin posts are cut down 4 inches, on a line parallel with the roof supports, and again at right angles with the first cut, forming a saddle, into which are placed the purlin plates.
[Illustration: Fig. 3.—Outside View of End Bent of Superstructure and Basement Bents.—Scale, 3-32 Inch to the Foot.]
[Illustration: Fig. 4.—Side View of Plank Frame Barn.—Scale, 3-32 Inch to the Foot.]
In Fig. 2 is presented a view of an interior bent of a gambrel roof basement barn, which is constructed on the same general principles as shown in the previous figure. Hip roofs, gothic roofs, etc., are as readily provided for as either gable or gambrel roofs, so any man’s taste may be fully met in this respect.
[Illustration: Fig. 5.—Detail Showing Section of Frame.—Scale, ¼ Inch to the Foot.]
[Illustration: Fig. 6.—Section of Purlin Plate.—Scale, ¼ Inch to the Foot.]
An outside view of the end bent of the superstructure and an end view of all the basement bents are shown in Fig. 3 of the illustrations. The braces in the basement are permitted to extend up and between the sills of the superstructure, thus binding both basement and superstructure into one solid frame work. In the interior of the basement, where long braces will not interfere with the arrangement or convenience, they are to be preferred to short ones, but where short braces are necessary they are inserted in such a manner as to give greater strength than when mortised in as is usually done.
[Illustration: Fig. 7.—Detail at Peak of Barn.—Scale, ½ Inch to the Foot.]
A side view of the frame, which is of such a character as to fully explain itself, is presented in Fig. 4. The plate is made of two 2 × 8 plank spiked together to form a trough and inverted over the tops of the posts. The manner of constructing the bents of the basement is indicated in Fig. 5. If the posts can stand on solid pillars of stone no sills are necessary, and the fillers extend down to the lower ends of the posts and up to the joist bearers. A side view of the purlin plates, which are made of two 2 × 8 or 2 × 10 plank with a 2-inch space between them, is shown in Fig. 6. The coupling or splicing block extends either way from the roof support _a_ to the dotted lines _b b_. At _c_ is represented a sectional view of the sub-support, to which the stays _d d_ are secured, and also the lower end of the braces _e e_. This arrangement gives sufficient strength to the purlin plates to sustain a slate or any other roof desired. Fig. 7 shows the manner in which the peak of the arch is constructed. The roof supports, which are usually of 2 × 8, are indicated by A A. The sub-supports, usually of 2 × 6 plank, are indicated by B B, while the dotted lines represent the collar beams, C, constructed of 2 × 12 inch plank, there being one on either side and bound together by ½-inch carriage bolts 6½ inches in length, their position being indicated by the small crosses.