Knee.
1. (Shipbuilding.) A compass-timber. A naturally grown bent piece used to secure parts together, acting as a brace and tie. The back or outside bent portion is fayed to the parts to be united. The exterior angle of a knee is the breech; the interior angle is the elbow or throat. The square knee has a right angle. The knee without a square has an obtuse angle. The knee within a square has an acute angle. The knee derives its specific name from its position, or the parts to which it is accessory, as, — Cheek-knee; a compass timber at the head; also known as, — Head-knee; a molded timber fayed edgeways to the cutwater and stem. Hanging-knee; one fayed to the side, in a vertical position. The knee up and down. Lodging or deck-beam knees; fayed to the side horizontally to secure the deck beams. Dagger-knees, i. e. diagonal knees; fixed obliquely to avoid a port. Standard-knee; one arm bolted to the deck, and the other against the ship's side. The carling-knee is in the angle formed by the junction of a carling with a deck beam. Heel-knee; a compass timber which connects the keel and stern-post. Transom-knee; helm-post knee, etc.
2. (Carpentry.) A piece of wood having a natural bend, or sawed to shape and fitting into an angle as a brace and strut.
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| Steigh-knee. |
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| Metallic knee. |
