Plumbing
the name applied to the system of pipes, valves, fittings and fixtures installed in buildings which supply water and remove human excrement and liquid wastes. Heating systems and fuel piping are not in the strictest sense considered plumbing .
The earliest pipes were made of lead, but in modern practice this material has been to a large extent replaced by vitrified clay tile, cast or wrought iron, brass and copper. The exposed pipes in modern high grade buildings are nickel plated brass or white enameled metal.
The water is usually brought to the property line by the water company, and connected with the house by a service pipe; the flow through is usually controlled by two valves, one for the water company, which may be located at the curb, and one for the building. Modern practice places a meter in the service pipe just inside the building. Usually there are two sets of pipes, one for hot water, the other for cold. The water is heated by a water front in a range, by a coil in the heating system of the house, or by a special copper coil which is heated by gas, the water usually goes from the heater to a riveted storage tank and is then circulated through the pipes to the various outlets. ad The end of each pipe from which water is to be drawn is fitted with a special type of valve called a faucet, and a good design demands that several valves be placed in the pipes in order that the water may be shut off from parts of the system without depriving the entire building from water.
Fixtures. The materials used for fixtures range from solid porcelain to iron. Solid porcelain fixtures are very expen- The wheel plow has a forward carriage sive, liable to break in the handling nec- essary to installation and are very to regulate the depth of furrow, one wheel running on the land and the other are very essary to installation and heavy. Metal fixtures upon which a also plows for special purposes; as, sub- fused are sanitary, resemble solid porsoil plows, draining plows, etc. A bal- common and inexpensive. Marble has plows, etc. A bal- celain in appearance and are much more common and inexpensive. Marble has Iron ance plow is one in which two sets of plow bodies and coulters are attached its vogue, but is seldom used now. to an iron frame, moving on a fulcrum, is used for heavy low grade sinks and soapstone for laundry tubs. The comframe, moving on a fulcrum, is used for heavy low grade sinks and laundry tubs. The comone set at either extremity, and pointing soapstone for lau different ways. By this arrangement in the furrow. Besides these there are heavy coating of porcelain has been the balance plow can be used without turning.
In bookbinding, an implement for cutting and smoothing the edges of books.