40 BULLETIN 801^ U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGKICULTUEE. 



PLATFORMS. 



Flatforms connected with tlie warehouse should be of concrete 

 for the pavement directly on the ground, or reinforced concrete for 

 platforms above the ground. The platform for the first floor would 

 consist, in nearly" all cases, of a paved area which would either rest 

 directly on the ground or on an earth fill inclosed by a retaining 

 wall. Such an arrangement is shown by the clra-wings in figure 1. 

 In some cases the first-floor platform may be constructed more eco- 

 nomicall}' of reinforced concrete. For floor above the ground floor, 

 platforms always should be constructed of reinforced concrete, the 

 details of construction being the same as described for such floors. 

 Illustrations for such platforms are shown by drawings in figures 

 2 and 3. The width of platforms is a variable factor, though 10 

 feet usually should be accepted as a minimum, as this gives convenient 

 room for the passage of the ordinary hand trucks. Platforms used 

 for loading or unloading cotton from cars should be 20 feet wide, 

 if possible, since this will allow the placing of cotton in quantity 

 on the outer half of the platforrn, and yet provide a clear space 

 of 10 feet between such pile of cotton and the warehouse wall. In 

 the design of the platforms to be used in loading cars, no columns 

 should be placed at the edge of the platforms, otherwise freight 

 cars must be " placed " accurately to avoid having a column block* 

 the car door. Good platform construction is shown hj the plan 

 for a compress compartment in figure 6 and the storage warehouse 

 plan in figure 2. The practice of roofing platforms, while very 

 convenient, is an expense which usually can not be justified except 

 in the case of the compress compartment and such adjacent storage 

 compartments as are used in conjunction with it. Here platforms 

 usually should be covered. 



for tlie storage compartment should be stationary, so as to be closed at all 

 times. Skyliglits for the storage compartment should be only of such size 

 and number as is necessary for convenient handling of cotton and reading 

 of tags. A size of 4 to 6 feet square is very convenient, while the size usually 

 should not exceed 64 square feet. The compress section, however, requires 

 considerably more light and A'entilation, and the different conditions do not 

 I)ermlt of a fixed size for these openings. 



The single panes of glass used for these skylights should be of such size 

 as not to exceed an area of 1,728 square inches or a width of 18 inches, the 

 thickness of the glass being at least one-quarter inch. This limit of width 

 is desirable for all glass; that used in a nearly vertical position (making 80° 

 or more with the horizontal), if subject to an exterior exposure, should be 

 restricted further to 720 square inches area and 48 inches for the greatest 

 dimension. An example of this last requirement is that of monitors near 

 together on a fire-resistive roof and communicating with separate compart- 

 ments. However, this condition seldom obtains and the first limit stated is 

 generally satisfactory. 



