Section 7: Glossary of Terms

SECTION 7: GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Editors: Tony Leto & Todd Daniel

Definitions of terms used in this Manual and other terms in common usage in the metal stair industry.

·  ABRASIVE

o  Hard, granular material of varying fineness used in grinding and/or polishing; or embedded in a metal to provide a nonslip surface.

·  ADA

o  Americans With Disabilities Act, enacted in 1995 by the U.S. Congress, requires that all new and certain existing locations of public accomodation and commercial facilities be designed and constructed to be accessible to, and useable by, the disabled. The Americans With Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG), contain recommendations regarding railing dimensions and requirements.

·  ANCHOR

o  Any device used to secure a building component to adjoining construction or a supporting member.

·  ANCHOR CEMENT

o  Used in the installation of railing posts set in sleeves or holes.

·  ANGLED STAIR

o  A stair in which successive flights are at an angle of other than 180° to each other -- often 90° --with an intermediate platform between them.

·  ANNEAL

o To heat above the critical or recrystalization temperature then cool to eliminate the effects of cold working, relieve internal stresses, or improve electrical, magnetic or other properties; to soften.

·  ANODIZE

o To provide a hard, non-corrosive oxide film on the surface of aluminum by electrolytic action in which the metal being treated serves as the anode.

·  ARC WELDING

o  A process for the joining of metal parts by fusion with the necessary heat being produced by an electric arc struck between an electrode and the metal or between two electrodes.

·  AS FABRICATED

o  A term refering to the surface appearance and texture produced on metal mill products by the original forming process. (we would use the phrase MILL FINISH here, not as fabricated. Would keep as fabricated with the meaning below) RR

o  A term referring to the surface appearance of a fabricated metal product before the removal of any disfigurations caused by the fabricating process.

·  ANSI

o  American National Standards Institute.

·  ASTM

o  American Standard for Testing and Materials.

·  BALUSTER

o  One of a series of closely spaced upright members which support the handrail in a railing. Also refered to as a Picket, Baluster Bar, Paling, or Spacer Bar.

·  BALUSTRADE

o  A railing which is composed of balusters capped by a handrail, often serving as an architectural feature.

·  BAR

o A round, square, rectangular, hexagonal or similar section of rolled, drawn or extruded metal. (should this mention that it’s solid? Some tubes are extruded/drawn) RR

·  BAR GRATING

o  Heavy-duty expanded metal with thicker bearing bars used for industrial flooring, stairs and transportation applications, such as street grating and railroad grating. [Steve E.]

·  BARRIER

o  A structure built to prevent access to a hazard or unauthorized area. [Steve E.]

·  BAR SIZE SECTION

o  A hot rolled angle, channel, tee or zee having a greatest cross-sectional dimension less than 3 inches (76.2mm).

·  BEND LINE

o  Point of change of direction of a structure.

·  BEVEL

o  See Pitch.

·  BLOW HOLE

o A hole or void in a casting resulting from entrained gases.

·  BOTTOM RAIL

o Lower member of a railing system which supports balusters or panels – if any.

·  BRACKET

o Projecting member attached to the surface of another member to strengthen and support it.

·  BRAKING

o Mechanical bending, flanging, folding and forming sheet or plate material using a press brake or folding brake.

·  BRAZING

o The joining of metal parts by heating them and – by capillary action – drawing a molten copper-zinc or other brazing alloy between them.

·  BUFFING

o The process of providing a lustrous finish by means of power-operated, soft fabric wheels coated with a wax compound containing fine, abrasive particles.

·  BULLNOSE STEP

o  A tread with one or both ends having a semi circular shape in plan; usually the first tread at the bottom of a flight.

·  BLOCKING - [Definition Needed] (out of alphabetical order here. My stab at a definition: Support put in place during wall construction, most often hidden, to allow for proper support of railings, counters, other walls. Blocking ties into the support system and is often located precisely where needed as coordinated with the trade that needs it.) RR

·  BURNISHING

o  Developing a smooth, lustrous surface on metal parts by tumbling in a drum containing a burnishing medium (i.e., small, steel balls) or by rubbing with hand pads.

·  BUTT JOINING

o  Fastening squared edge or end of one member to the squared edge, end or face of another member without overlapping.

·  CABLE RAILING - [Definition Needed] (my stab again: Guardrail that incorporates cables in lieu of pickets, glass or other materials to prevent accidental passage through the railing.) RR

·  CANTILEVER

o  Portion of a member projecting beyond support(s).

·  CAP RAILING

o  See Handrail.

·  CAP

o  A fitting used to close the end of a pipe or tubular rail or post, or the top end of a tubular newel.

·  CARBON STEEL

o  Steel having either:

§  No specified minimum content of alloying elements

§  A specified minimum copper content not exceeding 0.40%

§  Maximum specified percentage contents as follows

·  Manganese 1.65%

·  Silicon 0.60%

·  Copper 0.60%

·  CARRIAGE - [Definition Needed]

·  CARRIER ANGLE

o  An angle connected to the inside face of a stringer to form a supporting ledge for the end of a tread or riser.

·  CARRIER BAR

o  A flat bar used in the same way as a carrier angle.

·  CASTING

o  A product formed by pouring molten metal into a mold.

·  CAST IRON

o  A hard, brittle, non-malleable metal which can be produced in any shape. It cannot be hammered or bent. It is used for many miscellaneous metal products – both functional and decorative. It has good resistance to corrosion.

·  CEMENT, QUICK SETTING

o  See Anchor Cement.

·  CHECKERED PLATE

o  See Floor Plate.

·  CIRCULAR STAIR

o  A stair which, in plan view, has an open circular form, with a single center of curvature.

·  CLIP

o  Small fastening device, usually of metal, to hold element or component in place by mechinical action or friction.

·  CLOSURE BAR

o  A flat metal bar connected in the field to the top and/or bottom surface or edge of a wall stringer to close gaps between the stringer and the wall.

·  COLD-FINISHED STEEL

o  Carbon steel which has been cleaned and pickled then rolled or drawn through dies to produce a dimensionally accurate section with improved surface finish and often other improved properties.

·  COLLAR

o  See Escutcheon.

·  COLUMN

o  A structural member which is subjected principally to axial compression loading.

·  CONSTRUTION JOINT [What is this?] (spelling? Is it Construction Joint? Does it refer to expansion points in a building? That’s how I take it.) RR

o  Discontinuity in structure.

·  COPE

o  To cut away a portion of one member either to form a close-fitting joint with, or provide clearance for, another member.

·  CORROSION

o  The decay of metals, usually from oxidation.

·  COR-TEN

o  The trade name used by the United States Steel Corporation for its weathering type of steel.

·  COUNTERBORING

o  Enlarging entrance of a hole for placing a bolt head or nut. (enlargement doesn’t go all the way through the material, leaves a sholder for the bolt head or nut to sit on) RR

·  COUNTERSKINKING (spelling)

o  Beveling end of hole for receiving conical head of flat- or oval-head fastener.

·  CURVED STAIR

o  A stair which, in plan view, has two or more centers of curvature, being oval, elliptical or some other compound curved form.

·  DEAD LOAD

o  The weight of the structure itself which includes the deck, railing and support structure. (could also refer to a load that is once place, will not be moving or subject to movement) RR

·  DECKING

o  Light-gauge fluted, ribbed or cellular sheet metal platform for supporting floor or roof. (most often has concrete poured onto it) RR

·  DEFLECTION

o  Bending or sagging deformation of member.

o  A bending deformation of a structural member – usually within the elastic range of the material.

·  DIAMOND PLATE - [Definition Needed] (used often interchangeably with checker plate or floor plate. Some manufacturer’s site ought to be able to define the differences, if any, in these for us.) RR

·  DRAINAGE HOLE

o  See Vent Hole.

·  DRAWING

· 

o  The process of pulling metal in solid form through dies to alter its finish, mechanical properties or cross-sectional shape.

o  DRAWING, SHOP

o  See Shop Drawing.

·  DRAWINGS

o  Architectural and structural plans, often prepared by an architect or engineer. They should indicate by plan, elevation section, and detail the location, quantity, size and extent of product to be furnished.

·  DRIFT PIN

o  Tapered, round rod used to align holes in two or more pieces of metal.

·  DROP

o  A fitting used to close the bottom end of a tubular newel.

o  The piece of metal left when cutting down a stock size. RR

o  The distance from floor to floor for measuring a stair. RR

·  DRY GLAZE

o  A method of setting glass without the use of a wet media such as expansion cement or silicone.

·  DURANODIC

o  Trade name used by ALCOA for its hard, anodic coatings. See Hard Anodic Coating. [Refer to Finishes Manual, Steve E.]

·  EASEMENT (Stairs)

o  That curved portion of a handrail which forms a transition, in a vertical plane, between a horizontal and an inclined section of a handrail.

·  ELASTIC LIMIT

o  The maximum unit stress which can be applied to a material without causing permanent damage.

·  ELECTROSTATIC PAINT

o 

Used with electrically operated paint spray-gun in which an electric potential difference is established between the atomized paint particles and the item being sprayed. As a result, the paint particles are attracted to the item being sprayed, thereby providing a clean paint job.[Steve E].

·  EMBED MOUNT

o  Setting support members in concrete to a specified depth.

·  EMBOSSED

o  Having a raised and/or indented pattern impressed on a metal surface by means of patterned rolls or stamping dies.

·  ESCUTCHEON

o  Protective or ornamental cover located usually at and around the base of a post, picket, baluster, or where a rail terminates against a wall. Also refered to as a Cover Flange, Collar, Wall Clip or Wall Flange.

·  EXPANSION JOINT

o  A control joint designed to allow for differential movement of the joining parts due to thermal expansion and/or contraction; eliminating moment transfer.

·  EXPANDED METAL - Expanded metal is similar to perforated metal, but it has been cut, rather than punched, and stretched into a shaped framework. [Steve E.]

·  EXTRUSION

o  The process of producing metal shapes by forcing heated metal through an orifice in a die by means of a pressure ram.

o  Any item made by this process.

·  FABRICATE

o  To manufacture, form, assemble or construct metal products.

·  FACE STRINGER

o  A stringer which supports, on one side, the ends of treads and risers and is exposed on the other side.

·  FASCIA

o  In general, a horizontal band treatment on a wall or the edge facing of a projecting element.

o  In metal stairs, the exposed facing on the outer edge of a platform or floor; usually similar in detail to the face stringer.

o  The exposed facing of the outer edge of a platform or floor; usually similar in detail to the face stringer.

·  FASCIA MOUNT

o  Mounting of vertical supports to the face, or side, of a deck or stair stringer.

·  FATIGUE

o  Structural failure in a material caused by repeated or fluctuating application of stress, none of which individually is sufficient to cause failure.

·  FERROUS METAL

o  Metal in which iron is the principal element.

·  FERRULE

o  A usually metal sleeve used especially for joining or binding one part to another (as pipe sections or the bristles and handle of a brush) or for affixing hardware to cable to make arailing infill. [Steve E.]

·  FIELD CHECK

o  Verification of existing dimensions against those shown on drawing prior to fabrication.

·  FIELD JOINT

o  A connection between two adjoining members or parts, made at the time orf installation, generally accomplished by use of an internal mechanical connector or by welding.

·  FIELD MEASURE

o  Survey of existing conditions.

·  FILL (Stairs)

o  A cementitious material such as concrete or terrazzo, which is placed over a metal substructure to provide the wearing surface of a tread or platform.

·  FINIAL

o  An ornamental piece on top of a railing post, newel or fence. Also referred to as an Urn.

·  FIXED METAL STAIR

o  A permanently stationary series of three or more steps in one or more flights, providing pedestrian access between different floors or levels.

·  FLIGHT

o  An uninterrupted series of steps.

·  FLAT

o  Rectangular or bar of width greater than its thickness.

·  FLIGHT HEADER

o  See Header, Flight.

·  FLIGHT RISE

o  The vertical distance between the floor or platforms connected by a flight. (could have ‘drop’ above refer to this) RR

·  FLIGHT RUN

o  The horizontal distance between the faces of the first and last risers in a flight.

·  FLOOR PLATE

o  A steel plate having a raised pattern to provide a non slip wearing surface; referred to as "tread plate" when made of aluminum.

·  FLUSH BOLT

o  A rod or bolt which is mounted flush with the edge or face of the inactive door of a pair, to lock the door to the frame at the head and/or sill. When mounted in the edge, operation is by means of a recessed lever.