ABCDEFGHIJKLMN * OPQRSTUVWXYZ 1234567890 & 23 ABCDEFGHIJKLMN OPQRSTUVWXYZ 1234567890 & 25 Fig. 184. Vertical Roman Letters and Figures Fig. 185. Inclined Roman Letters and Figures MECHANICAL DRAWING There is no absolute size or proportion of letters, as the dimensions are regulated by the amount of space in which the letters are to be placed, the size of the drawing, the effect desired, etc. In some cases letters are made so that the height is greater than the width, and sometimes the reverse; sometimes the height and width are the same. This last proportion is the most common. Certain relations of width, however, should be observed. Thus, in whatever style of alphabet used, the W should be the widest letter; J the narrowest, M and T the next widest to W, then A and B. The other letters are of about the same width. In the vertical Gothic alphabet, the average height is that of B, D, E, F, etc., and the additional height of the curved letters ABCDECHI JKLMNORS TUVWXYZ Fig. 186. Block Letters and of the A and V is very slight. The horizontal cross lines of such letters as E, F, H, etc., are slightly above the center; those of A, G, and P slightly below. For the inclined letters, Fig. 183, 60° is a convenient angle, although they may be at any other angle suited to the convenience or fancy of the draftsman. Many draftsmen use an angle of about 70°. The letters of the Roman alphabet, whether vertical, Fig. 184, or inclined, Fig. 185, are quite ornamental in effect if well made, the inclined Roman being a particularly attractive letter, although rather difficult to make. The block letter, Fig. 186, is made on the same general plan as the Gothic, but much heavier. Small squares are taken as the unit of measurement, as shown. The use of this letter is not advocated for general work, although if made merely in outline the effect is pleasing. The styles of numbers correspond abcdefghijklmn opqrstuvwxyz Fig. 187. Vertical Gothic Lower-Case Letters ing with the alphabets of capitals given here, are also inserted. When a fraction, such as 23 is to be made, the proportion should be about as shown. For small letters, usually called lower-case letters, the abcdefghijklmn opqrstuvwxyz Fig. 188. Inclined Gothic Lower-case Letters height may be made about two-thirds that of the capitals. This proportion, however, varies in special cases. The principal lower-case letters in general use among draftsmen are shown in Figs. 187, 188, 189, and 190. The Gothic letters abcdefghijklmn opqrstuvwxyz Fig. 189. Vertical Roman Lower-Case Letters shown in Figs. 187 and 188 are much easier to make than the Roman letters in Figs. 189 and 190. These letters, however, do not give as finished an appearance as the Roman. As has already been stated in Mechanical Drawing, Part I, the inclined letter is easier to make because slight errors are not so apparent. |