"Mitres," "Mitrons,"And Chimneys

Fig. 547.

Fig. 548.

Fig. 549.

Fig. 549 - (Brault).

Fig. 550.

Fig. 551.

Fig. 552.

Fig. 552. (Muller).

Fig. 553.

Fig. 553. (Monichanin, Jacob).

The gutter and antefixes of the Hotel des Telephones in Paris, executed by Perrusson, are shown in Figs. 516 and 517.

Various Tiles

For the passage of pipes, and the lighting and ventilation of lofts, special tiles are made. Such are socket tiles, which have the width of two tiles (Fig. 541) or of one (Fig. 546) according to the diameter of the pipe.

For lighting purposes, tiles are made with an orifice which is covered with a pane of glass fitting directly against the clay, the dimensions and shape being variable (Figs. 544, 545). If ventilation as well as lighting is required, a skylight sash is fitted to the opening (Fig. 538),

Ventilation alone is effected by means of tiles called "chattieres" (Figs. 537, S43), and sometimes the orifice has a clay grating.

Various Tiles

Fig. 533.

Fig. 534.

Fig. 535.

Fig. 536.

Fig. 537.

Fig. 538.

Fig. 539.

Fig. 540.

Fig. 541.

Figs. 533 to 541. Montchanin Make.

Fig. 542.

Fig. 543.

Fig. 544.

Fig. 545.

Fig. 546.

Figs. 542 to 546. Muller Make.

Fig.554.

Fig. 555.

Figs. 554 and 555. Chimneys (Perrusson).

Roofing Accessories

These accessories are of various kinds; first the "poincons," of which we have spoken and which are attached or not to the ridge tiles. In the latter case they fit into the end tiles. When they are placed upon several hip tiles, they are fixed to special sockets (Fig. 501). Clay mitres (Fig. 548) and mitrons (Fig. 552), lanterns (Figs. 549, 550, 551), and chimneys (Figs. 547, 553, 554, 555) may also be considered as roofing accessories; the shape of these varies from the plain upright pipe to the most elegant chimney.

Fig. 556 shows a roof which exemplifies the use of the tiles and accessories above described. The roof, properly so called, is of lozenge tiles, and we see two "chattieres" one open the other grated, a window tile, a sash tile, border tiles with fronton and decorated ends, gutter covers, ridge tiles with various finials, poittcons, and lastly, different terra-cotta chimneys fixed to the roof either by socket or brick masonry.

Qualities Of A Good Tile, Colour

The ideal tile should be as light as possible, while being strong enough to bear walking on the roofs without breaking; it should be smooth, straight in all parts, impervious to water; should have such a surface that water will not remain on it, and should closely follow the line of greatest slope of the roof. Finally, it should not be liable to crack with frost, but should be of a nature to resist atmospheric agencies.

Fig. 556. Tiled Roof with Accessories (Montchanin).

Which tile most nearly approaches this perfect type? it would be rash to decide without careful and comparative experiments which alone could be the basis of an opinion; we can say, however, that the Gilardoni and Muller tiles (soft clay) enjoy an excellent reputation, which is justified by their good quality; that the pantile of Leforest (Pas - de - Calais) is made of hard paste, and is highly esteemed in the north of France; that the Marseilles tile is said to be a good one. The Norman tiles, made at Dieppe and Villequier (Seine-Infeneure), at Argences (Calvados), etc., are principally used in that district.

As for the Burgundy tile (hard paste and firm paste), its red colour and quality make it much admired.

Black Tiles

The colour of tiles depends upon the kind of clay used in their preparation, and varies from yellow ochre to vermilion red. It is important to observe that the well-fired and consequently the best tiles have a less bright and less uniform colouring than those which are less baked. At the present day less importance is rightly attached to colour, which formerly was expected to be absolutely uniform and of a brilliant red, qualities which are incompatible with those of a good tile.

Slate colour may be given artificially; this may be useful for terra-cotta objects to be placed on slate roofings, or in countries where, as in Japan, red is forbidden, but it is generally better to preserve the special properties of each building material than to hide them for the purposes of imitation.

The process for making tiles blue is the same as that used for bricks (see p. 248).

Stoneware Tiles

To give tiles an absolute power of resistance to weather and especially frost, it was suggested that they might be made of stoneware paste, which gives impervious and therefore frost-proof products.

The clays used are similar to those employed in making stoneware pipes. The tiles are made flat or fitting (Figs. 5 5 7, 558); they are laid like ordinary tiles (Fig. 559), combined with ridge tiles (Fig. 560), borders (Fig. 562), end tiles (Fig. 561), frontons, etc., to give an elegant appearance (Fig. 563).

Besides their power of resistance to frost, stoneware tiles have the advantage of being proof against acid vapours, a quality desirable in the case of some chemical factories. Stoneware tiles do not seem as yet to be very extensively used, and this may probably be attributed to several causes: these tiles, although hard, are very brittle, their shape is less uniform than that of ordinary tiles, as they lose shape in firing, and then, unless very carefully selected, the fitting sockets are not as waterproof. But it is probable that by perfecting the methods of manufacture and choosing suitable pastes these difficulties will be overcome.

Fig. 557.

Fig. 558.

Fig. 559.

Fig. 560.

Fig. 561.

Fig. 562.

Fig. 563.

Figs. 557 to 563. Stoneware Tiles.

Particulars Of The Principal Tiles Used In France

(1) At Ciry-le-Noble (Saone-et-Loire).

(2) French Stoneware Company, Pouilly-sur-Saone (Cute-d Or)