Popular Mechanics 1920-01: Vol 33 Iss 1

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: \ DEC -6 1919 ©Ocip450753 3 Popular Mechanics Magazine REGISTERED in & PATENT OFFICE i WRITTEN SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND 11 x Vol. 33 JANUARY, 1920 No. | Buy Government Houses and Take Them | Home by Tractor | T° SELECT a dwelling trom a largt kitchen cabinet Purchasers of the ’ stock of unples. buy it r the ( CK s i¢ LN OVel houses have been ible to get concrete counter” at a bargain price, and thei block foundations built for an average pack it on a motor truck to be sent home price of $223. ar d to secure truck is a novel solution of the house-hunting trailer delivery within five miles for $130 H i problem. hat is literally vhat has been making a total cost ot S553 for a well! H happening recently, however, in a number built home. As the little structures were i of communities where munition-plant already well painted outside, and finished housing facilities are being dismantled by inside in the natural wood, with two the government. All the purchaser needs coats of good varnish, little remained is a vacant lot, of course, and a founda- for the purchaser to do, unless he wishe: ; ; tion for his new home. Near Cincinnati more { than 200 four-room houses were sold in two i days at the remarkable f ; price of $200 each, their ] > original cost to the gov- ; ernment having been : 8 ove! 31.500. \ll the | rooms in them = are 3 wainscoted to a_height 4 od five feet, and wall- 2 boarded above. ¢ omplete 2 bathrooms are installed, 9 as well as electric fix- , tures and wiring, plumb- ? ing for hot and cold : water. and a capacious 6 _— 7 — _____ ae Satis’ 9 8 Taking the Purchase Home: The Little i wel Houses were Easily Delivered to Their , Buyers by Means of Motor Truck and Trailer to plaster or paper the upper side walls and ceilings, as an improve ment on the wall board already provided. And the only terms of 4 the sale were that the buyer re move his purchase within 60 days —a condition to which the weary hunter for nonexistent rent signs 1 could offer no objection. . @ Carrying 12 passengers. the trans | atlantic seaplane “NC-4” recently f : a = — flew without a stop from Pensa | Tyrie Dorr Soom Boece Porctaned trom ac Orvernmest 204 cola, Fla. to Memphis, Tenn. a tion, the Only Improvement Needed distance of 535 nautical. miles. 4 i — ~oa

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a Tig q a oe 2 POPULAR MECHANICS REMARKABLE NEW COAL RANGE IS GAS AND COKE PRODUCER In the present coal situation a cook ing range that shows a fuel saving of _ A 4 In the Near Corner of the Range, Cut Away to Show the Fire Box, the Superheated Air is Seen Distilling and Burning the Gas from the Coal, Producing Long, Intensely Hot Flames something like 85 per cent will attract extraordinary attention. When, in ad- dition, it consumes all its smoke and soot, and most of its ash, attention grows into wonder. Yet a new range—made, so far, only in hotel size—does just that. The secret lies in the use of superheated air for the draft. In the standard two- oven range, with the fire pit at one end, air enters at the bottom of the other end, and passes under the ovens and up through the hollow fire-box lining. It is so hot when it issues from holes at the top that the coal gas is instantly ignited, and great streamers of flame, reaching 9 ft. in length, burst from the air holes and run entirely around the ovens to the flue, passing the incom ing air channels. This explains the preheating of the air. The coal, ex- hausted of gas, becomes coke and is further con sumed, and nothing re- mains but an impalpable ash that falls through the shakerless grate. This residue is actually less than the amount indicated as ash in chemical analysis of the coal. A pair of the ranges in a Chicago hotel has cooked 1,900 meals, burning Illinois soft coal, at a fuel cost of only $1.40 a day. This is a saving of about $8 a day over the ordinary form of range. By firing every 2% hours, the whole top of the range may be kept continuously red-hot. AIRPLANE -HYDROPLANE MAKES 71 MILES AN HOUR At 71 miles an hour, there skimmed over the surface of Little Bras d'Or lake, in Nova Scotia, a few days ago, one of the most extraordinary water- craft ever built. Resting on its launch- ing cradle before this notable trial trip, the strange hybrid was seen to consist of a cigar-shaped hull, or fuselage, about 30 ft. long, from the bow of which pro- jected, monoplane-fashion, two heavy shortened wings. On a staging above each wing rested a 400-hp. Liberty en- gine, each fitted with a four-bladed pusher propeller. An airplane rudder surmounted the stern. Most curious of all were three ladderlike structures which extended downward from. stern and wings—four slender, vertical arms holding seven narrow planing surfaces, or crosspieces, in each case. These units were of slight but very strong construc- tion. The trial trip was an almost startling success. When a speed of about 60 miles an hour was attained, the stubby wings took hold of the air, and raised the long hull clear of the water. As more and more speed gradually was drawn from the two powerful en gines, the craft stepped higher and higher. At 70 miles an hour it was rid- ing a good three feet above the surface, with only the three lowest blades of each “ladder” in contact with the water. At this speed, too, the vibration and lurch- ing associated with the ordinary seasled were oddly missing; the craft rode as smoothly as a limousine on a city boule vard. Radical in design though it is, the sen- sational creation cannot fail to win the attention of speed-boat designers every where, for the inventor is Dr. Alexan- der Graham Bell, the venerable American genius who 43 years ago patented the telephone. It is near Baddeck, on the shores of Little Bras d’Or, that Doctor Bell has his summer home. ae $2

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ane ( On the Inland Waters of Cape Breton ) Island, Nova Scotia, Not Far from His | Summer Home, Dr. Alexander Graham Bell Recently Put through Its Paces the “H04,"’ Hybrid Offspring of the Airplane and the Hydroplane. The Doctor’s In- vention is Shown Above, as It Slipped Along with the Hull a Good Three Feet \ above the Surface }

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( The System of Engine Mounting and | Wing Support is Understood from This | End-On View of the “*H04.”" The Liberty Airplane Engines Turn the Two Four- Bladed Pusher Propellers. Just above the Post in the Foreground is Seen the Airplane Rudder

The “H04” is Here being Hauled, Bow First, into Its | Shed. Silhouetted against the Waters of the Bay are Seen the Ladderlike, Vertical Structures That Alone Make | Contact with the Water at Higher Speeds. A Third

“Ladder” Projects from the Stern

< from This Broadside View of the ““H04” at Rest, It would Never be — - | Imagined That the Craft Made 71 Miles an Hour on Its Trial Spin Pictured 4 at the Top. Yet at That Speed. Terrific for a Watercraft, the Crew Rode —_ . in Absolute Comfort, Experiencing Neither Vibration nor the Disagreeable ban ~<—ae Lurching Sensation a PHOTOS COPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD 4 UNDERWO

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) ~ pee 4 POPULAR MECHANICS BARBERS’ CHAIR ATTACHMENT PROVIDES HANDY BASIN A means of combining a_ washbasin with a barbers’ chair has been patented by an eastern inventor, who declares the Washbasin Attachment for a Barbers’ Chair: Hot and Cold Water are Supplied to a Spray Nozzle through Hose. A Flexible Drain is Provided device will make it unnecessary for a pa- tron to leave his seat while receiving a shampoo. Two vertical rods, attached to the back of the chair, and passed through friction grips in the rim of the basin, sup- port the latter at different heights, or al- low it to be lowered under the chair when it is not in ‘use. A rubber hose serves as a flexible drain pipe for the basin. It is connected to the bottom of the vessel, and passed through the base of the chair. Hot and cold water are supplied to a spraying nozzle through other hose. Valves for regulating the flow of water are located in a convenient position on the side of the chair. RUNAWAY ZEPPELIN GIVES PASSENGERS WILD RIDE With 30 passengers in its comfortable cabin, the German air liner “Bodensee” sank, several weeks ago, toward its land- ing field, near Berlin. The regular trip from Friedrichshafen had been made without incident. Then everything went wrong. Unexpected air currents smashed the ship against the earth, breaking the cabin windows, disabling the engines, and extinguishing the lights. A puff from the side shoved the craft into the crowd of onlookers, killing one and maiming six. More “bumps” followed as the cap- tain tried vainly to pass his mooring lines to the hangar crew below. Finally, an upward current seized the bag and tossed it high into the darkness. In the cabin the terrifed passengers huddled together, half frozen, as the ship soared up and up. At one time a snowstorm enveloped them. Meanwhile, working leverishly, the mechanics repaired the en gines, and after three hours of unguided flight the runaway was brought under control. Toward midnight the ship was landed in a grove of stunted fir trees, where it was found by astonished peas- ants in the morning. ONE-MAN THREE-WHEEL AUTO IS POPULAR IN ENGLAND It would hardly be possible to make a practical motor vehicle any smaller than one that is now coming into favor in Eng- land. There is just enough room on its three-wheeled chassis for one passenger ard a 3-hp. engine. A tiller steers the two front wheels, while a slightly heavier rear wheel takes the drive. The little car is easy to handle in traffic, and extremely economical of fuel and tires, which ac- counts for its popularity just now, with these commodities so high-priced. COPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOK An English Three-Wheel Auto Reduced to Minimum Dimensions: There Is Just Room for the Engine and One Passenger "1 S32

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| b> | POPULAR MECHANICS One of the Giant Electric Locomotives Just Completed for Use on the Electrified Portion of a Transconti nental Railway: It Is 78 Feet Long. Weighs 530,000 Pounds, and Has No Gears, Its 12 Motors being Mounted Directly on Its Axles, and Giving a Total of 2,760 to 3,240 Horsepower ELECTRIC ENGINE WINS TUG OF WAR WITH STEAM Pushed backward against their utmost 12 of their 14 axles having motor arma- pressure, two huge steam locomotives of tures mounted directly upon them, with a modern type, immensely powerful, were total of 2,700 to 3,240 hp they weigh decisively defeated in a Vulcanian tug- 530,000 Ib. run on 3,000-volt direct cur- of-war contest with a single electric rent, and can make well over 65 miles an locomotive of new design, in a recent hour, hauling 12-car trains. lor regener- spectacular test at an eastern city. The ative braking while coasting, four of the electric. furthermore, gave its opponent motors run as exciters for the other a heavy handicap by allowing them to eight. An oil-burning, steam-heating plant start first, gradually bringing them to a for the passenger coaches occupies the standstill as the current was turned on center cab. ind then driving them protestingly but ema surely the other way. Only once during 20,750 miles of flying Five of these huge electric engines are has one of their machines been forced being placed in passenger service on an to the ground by mechanical trouble, ac- electrified 440-mile stretch of the Pacific- cording to the recent report of a British coast end of a transcontinental railroad. company maintaining airplane service The new machines are entirely gearless, between London and Paris. * - — r ee a Me i -a ee ed The Great Tug of War between the Electric and Two Huge Steam Locomotives, in Which the Electric Won, Actually Pushing Its Steam-Driven Opponents Backward against the Greatest Pressure They could Exert, after Allowing Them the Handicap of Starting First

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ee ee MAI AEE IO st I = es “MEY aahig | The Little Power Schooner “Casco,” Famous as the South Sea Home of Robert Louis Stevenson, Went to Pieces in Bering Strait on Its Way to the Gold Fields of Siberia with a Party % of Adventurers. It is Pictured Impris- oned in the Ice Just Before It was Wrecked on the Rocks of King Island MODERN ARGONAUTS COME TO GRIEF By LAWRENCE WILLIAM PEDROSE G PURRED on by the same hopes’ which carried the gold seekers to California in the days of *49 and to the Klon dike in "98, twelve ad venturers boldly set forth, on June 1, 1919, from San Francisco, in the “Casco,” the famous lithe power schooner which was Robert Louis Stevenson’s home in the South Seas, their desti- nation the fabled gold fields of Siberia. The “Casco” passed into the Arctic in July. On Sep- tember 8th it became caught in the ice and, as- sailed by a northwest gale, was driven ashore, crashing upon the rocks of King Island, Bering Strait, between Alaska and Siberia. None of the crew was lost, although all suffered from the ex- treme rigor of the north- land. They were rescued by the coast-guard cut- ter “Bear,” and have re- turned to the States in search of another vessel. The “Casco,” on its last eventful voyage, suc- ceeded in fighting its way westward as far as North Cape, reaching the farthest north of any vessel in the world last season. The destination of the gold seekers was the Kolyma River, in northeastern Siberia. The “Casco” was balked onlv by the unusual ice con ditions of the vear, th« large frozen ice fields moving down earlier and in greater strength than usual. Several times the litth vessel was caught in the ice, but managed to es- cape. At North Cape it found the ice bar- rier impenetrable and %

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The “Casco” as It Lay Crushed against the Rocky Shore of King Island: The Crew are Salvaging Lumber and Supplies from the Little Craft Before It Sinks, to Build a Shelter against the Arctic Cold

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Part of the Crew Escaped from the Wrecked Ship in a | Canoe Made of Skins, in Which They Made the 80

— Miles to Nome in 32 Hours of Continuous Paddling > | and Constant Bailing

” ’ pies e2| All the Miscellaneous Materials Salvaged from the Wrecked Schooner Went into , the Building of the Igloolike Shelter in Which the Part of the Crew on King Island Awaited Rescue —Tarpaulins, Canvas, and Lumber, with Rocks to Anchor the Roof against the High Winds

Popular Mechanics features will appear in moving pictures issued by Paramount Magazine,

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5 a ne “2 ns ae a cenit linn Seperate: RE NS NR 8 8 POPULAR MECHANICS had to turn back in a wild race to es- cape into Bering Sea before the ice blocked Bering Strait, the only way out. Several members of the expedition were left at North Cape, and three others were put ashore a short distance east of that place, to prospect for gold during the coming winter, and, if possible, to push on over the frozen sea to the Kolyma River. The “Casco” gained Bering Strait after a great race with the ice, only to be flung ashore on the King Island rocks. At two o'clock, in the morning of Septem- ber 10th, when ship and island were en- shrouded in black night, it began to take water at a rate which showed its career was ended. With the vessel going to pieces un- der their feet, the mate and members of his crew still left with the ship succeeded in saving the stores. The shipwrecked sailors lived in a deserted native hovel until they had built a house of their own from lumber salvaged from the “Casco.” Atter remaining two weeks on the island the men set out in a snow squall in a tiny native “bidarka,” or skin boat, and after 32 hours’ incessant paddling, ar rived at Nome, and were taken aboard ithe coast-guard cutter “Bear,” which at once went to the rescue of the men left en King Island. POLICE RESERVES SEEK WOMEN RECRUITS FOR AIR SCHOOL A call for 30 women recruits between the ages of 18 and 25 has been issued bv the office of the police reserves of New York City. As soon as 20 or more have volunteered, and passed physical and mental tests, they will be enrolled in the police department’s aviation school, from which they will be graduated as an avia- tion corps to be attached to the women police reserve. GUIDE SHIPS AND PLANES BY RADIO PATHFINDER Navigation through fog and storm at sea, or along the unmarked paths of the air, is to be made a matter of mathemati- cal exactness by the perfec- tion of the wireless direc- tion finder. The development of this new radio wonder already has progressed far enough to make that promise de fi- nite. The se- cret of the di- rection finder lies in the fact that a closed loop of wire, as a radio anten- na, receives best in the po- sition of its own plane, and is least effec- IRECTION FINDING NSTRUMEN + Wireless-Pathfinder Receivin FROM THE SPHERE, LONDON COPYRIGHT BY THE NEW YORK HERALD CO. , tive at right angles. Sucha loop, made by stretching a wire above and below the EAR RECEIVERS length of an air- WORN INSIDE plane fuselage, MELMET receives most loudly in the direction of the plane’s_ travel. A similar loop GRADUATED along the wings CIRCLE takes the sig- nals coming from either side. The navi- gators equip- ment is simply a pair of coils. fixed at right angles, and in side them a smaller coil, turned on a vertical axis by a hand _ knob, with a dial to indicate its po- sition. By turn- Instrument: The Two Coils at ing the knob Right Angles are Fixed, While the Little Detector Coil inside Them is Turned with a Knob, and Has an Indicating Dial, r Which the Operator Reads When the Signals Are Loudest nals from the until the sig- | 2

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POPULAR MECHANICS 9 i. The Wire Loops on the Airplane are Arranged at Right Angles, One along the Fuselage and the Other on the Wings, Giving Complete Mastery of Signals from Any Direction for Lining Up the Course GLACE BAY Pape WIRELESS STATION -~- a FROM THE SPHERE, LONDON COPYRIGHT BY THE NEW YORK HERALO CO- shore stations, at the beginning and end of his course, sound loudest in his head receiver, the airman or shipmaster de- termines, by a glance at the dial, how he is or should be headed. USE HEAT RAYS FOR SIGNALS WITH SECRET WAR DEVICE That signals can be transmitted and re- ceived with invisible heat rays, as suc- cessfully as with a beam of light, is dem- onstrated by the disclosure of a European signaling system used in the war. The transmitter is an electric arc, screened by a special black glass coated with peroxide of manganese, shutting off all visible rays but permitting the infrared rays to pass. The receiver is a parabolic mirror with a thermopile at its focal point, connecied to a galvanometer. Messages were sent some 12 miles with this apparatus. It is proposed to use the receiver on shipboard to detect icebergs, and for this purpose, a sensitive galvanometer has been devised which is unaffected by the rocking of the ship. The Airship, Receiving Signals from + Land Stations at Both the Beginning and End of Its Route, Finds No Diffi- culty in Laying a True Course on a Straight Line RAILROADS USE STEEL CAGES TO IMPRISON TRAMPS Drastic measures to prevent tramps from riding on trains that cross the southwestern deserts have been taken by One of the Steel Cages Used by Southwestern Rail- roads as Prisons for Tramps Captured While Stealing Rides on Trains four railroad companies operating in that section of the country. As part of a systematic campaign against hobos, prisons of an unusual sort have been es- tablished along the lines in thinly pop ulated regions, where jails and police Popular Mechanics features will appear in moving pictures issued by Paramount Magazine.

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10 POPULAR stations are not numerous, nor close to- gether. These prisons are large steel cages, similar to those used for confin- ing wild animals. Tramps caught steal- ing rides are locked in the cages until it is convenient to take them to the nearest county seat for trial. WHITE ANTS FORCE OIL MEN TO USE STEEL DERRICKS lire and storm have destroyed many an oil derrick of the traditional wood construction, but in the new oil fields olf lrinidad, white ants and other insects of Steel Oil Derrick Used in the New Fields on Trinidad Island to Prevent Destruction by Voracious White Ants similar disposition are an even greater menace. So voracious is the appetite of these pests for pine, the usual derrick mate- rial, that the oil men have been forced to build all their derricks of steel. The great advantage of this construction in point of durability, however, is encouraging its use even where edibility is not a factor. SCIENTISTS FORECAST USES FOR BY-PRODUCT OXYGEN The growing production of artificial nitrate by atmospheric fixation, with oxy- gen as a by-product, is expected by many scientists to affect decidedly several in- dustrial processes. Increased and cheaper production of this gas will permit a larger development of ozone, possibly the melt- ing of gold-bearing quartz. It will in- crease the efficiency of the electric fur- nace, and probably result in the use of oxygen in metallurgical abling them to burn furnaces, en lower-grade fuels. MECHANICS NEW TELEPHONE TRANSMITTER HAS SEPARATED GRANULES Unusual sensitiveness and reliability are claimed for a new form of carbon tele- phone transmitter developed in France, primarily for portable instruments for the deaf, but equally applicable to regular telephone use. The “button” of the new microphone consists of a carbon disk about an inch in diameter, in the face of which are 220 or more tiny recesses. The carbon granules, instead of being carried in the usual loose mass, are arranged with one granule resting in the mouth of each recess. The diaphragm, of ordinary form, bears against all the granules. Such a transmitter, it is declared, never packs, and maintains a uniform efficiency. While most sensitive in the vertical when hi ly i power. position, ld horizontally it has remarkable BRINE BATH UNDER PRESSURE SALTS PEANUTS IN SHELL Peanuts salted in the shell are an agree- able novelty made possible by the inven- tion of a new process and apparatus ‘for its application, The raw peanuts first are soaked in brine, then placed in the patented pressure tank, where the salt is forced through the shell. Subsequently the nuts | are baked in the usual way. The result of this process is a F crisp, salted After Their Bath in Brine, the Raw Peanuts are Placed in the Patented Pressure Tank at the Right. Here the Salt is Forced through the Shell and into the Kernel kernel which stays fresh indefinitely, and, coming to the consumer in nature’s own package, may always be depended upon to be clean

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POPULAR MECHANICS 11 REHEARSALS IN UNFINISHED THEATER | he ‘Wy ‘Ss COPYRIGHT, INTERNATIONAL FILM SERVICE T° an accompaniment of pounding hammers and clattering scaffolding, chorus and principals recently rehearsed for many days in preparation for the opening of this mammoth New York theater. Its size is suggested by the fact that the orchestra floor, alone, seats nearly twice as many as the ordinary theater accommodates in orchestra, balcony, gallery, and boxes. From the architect’s standpoint, the structure is noteworthy as containing one of the largest steel trusses ever used in an interior. The girder is 170 ft. long, weighs more than 100 tons, and carries the massive balcony without an intermediate support. In common with the rest of the structural steel used in the building, this great member was fabricated on the ground where the theater now stands. Though the builders found the mills closed to them because of the precedence given to war work, they went pluckily ahead, laying out, cutting, punching, and assembling every girder on the spot. = | LIGHT RAYS BENT BY GRAVITY Conclusions Drawn from Recent Solar Eclipse Have Profound Effect upon Philosophy of Space and Time Long accepted theories of science are thrown into confusion by observations of the recent total solar eclipse, made by British astronomers. Apparatus was prepared and photographic exposures made for the purpose of testing the pre- viously announced theory that light rays are subject to gravitational attraction, the subjects of study being seven stars close to the rim of the sun’s disk. After making corrections for disturbances, the light rays from these stars were found to have been deflected 1.98 seconds in passing the sun, with a probable six-per- cent error. This deflection is twice the amount that accords with Newton’s law. If these results are accepted as changing the theories of gravitation, Euclidian theories of space also will be affected. The discovery is regarded by scientists as of the first importance, and further observations are already planned for the next total eclipse in September, 1922. An eminent American authority, how- ever, holds that the assumed bending of the light rays is simply refraction in passing through the solar atmosphere.

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LIGHTNING AND FLOOD ASSIST HUGE OIL FIRE BUSY BEE Cm é f Cs LIGHTNING may not strike twice in the same place, but it struck once in two dif- ferent places in the oil town of Waggoner City, Texas, last November, and started two simultaneous fires that came near ending the career of that flourishing community then and there. The general view of Wag- goner City presented above was taken before the fire, and shows a remarkable settlement of more than 10,000 population, which has never been incorporated as village, town, or city, a typical oil center of mushroom growth. When the lightning struck, on both sides of the oil field at once, the district had just been visited by an unusual storm. The ditches at either side of the roads were flooded, and in some places water was flowing in the thoroughfare itself, as may be seen in the view of the main street at the left. It was this flowing water, usually fire’s worst enemy, that assisted the destruction in this case by Carrying the blazing oil into the heart of the community. Exploding Oil Tanks, Torrents of Flaming Oil Riding through the Doomed Town on Streams of Flood Water, and Blazing Rows of Flimsy Buildings, Concealed Their Terrors beneath a Rolling Pall of Black Smoke PHOTO COPYRIGHT, MCKAY & HERKIMER

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IN BLOTTING OUT VAST AREA OF TEXAS TOWN The Opposing Fires, Advancing from the Lightning-Struck Oil Tanks, Met in the Heart of the Business District,near the Bank Practically Wiped Out the Sec- tion, and Then Proceeded through a Congested Cluster of Houses, Shacks, and Oil Wells, Driven by a Northerly Gale —— —— ~ = The Oil is Still Burr zy in the Ditches in This Picture, but Everything Solid That as Combustible has been Consumed, in te of the Heavy Rain. Some 2,000 Men, Women, and Children, Deprived of All | They Had, were Driven Out into bord Deep Mud of the Rain-Soaked Fi Though Seme Operators Fought ‘the Fire with Steam and Saved Their Properties, the Destruction Was Wide- spread, and the Losses Reported Over $1,000, 000 ; but Almost Before the Smoke had Cleared Away, the Losers were Busily Planning to Rebuild and to Recoup Their -osses from the Unlimited Wealth of the Region | - caouial - T, MCKAY & HERKIMER Popular Mechanics features will appear in moving pictures issued by Paramount Magazine.

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14 POPULAR DANGERS OF SEA DECREASED BY REGISTERING SOUNDER Tests that have been made with a new instrument for measuring depths and dis- tances at sea, indicate that this apparatus in its improved form should prove of won- derful service asa safety de- vice on going £ea- vessels. (t believed that with this apparatus in- stalled on ves there will no danger is sels be MECHANICS duced by the blow travels through the water and strikes the bottom of the sea, or if any of the other hammers has been operated, the shore, or any submerged object, such as a rock. iceberg, or an- hasta other vessel, and returns in the form of an echo. Striking the receivers the returning sound waves at once stop the indicator, and according to the time it takes the sound to travel forth and back, the indicator has moved a corre- of ships going sponding = dis- ashore or col- tance on the liding with un dial. seen objects in The receiv- thick or foggy Se ing end, of weather pa The Wavy Lines in the Diagram Represent the Sound Waves -ourse. consists wale? . Sent through the Water by the Sounding Devices in the Ship, — “, . soundings can as Well as Their Return in the Form of Submarine Echoes. ot the two be taken at the rate of four a minute, no matter how fast the ship may The installation consists of four transmitters, or electric hammers, one being located in the bottom, on both sides of the vessel, and in the bow, respectively, all below the either side of the transmitters are ime | placed two microphones in par- / allel, which act as receivers for / both the sound produced and f# the return echo. The hammers push buttons on the in- dicator, which is lo- cated either on the bridge or in the pilot house. Press- which controls the transmitter in the bottom of the ship, causes a single blow to be ‘struck which, by means of the microphones, starts the register- ing mechanism the indicator mov- be traveling. y i mean water line of the ship. On rh are operated by means of ing the button at that point. ing. The sound pro- ot The Indicator is Seen on the Deck, and in Enlarged Detail at the Right | \ The Sailing Buckboard, Light-Running and Tremen- dously Speedy, That is Giving an Airman Some New Thrills microphones and a number of relays that are electrically controlled by the current flowing through the microphones. The relays act to operate the mechanism that causes the indicator to start and stop. There is also another relay connected to a push button so-that, after receiving a sounding, by pushing this button the indicator brought back to the zero point, from where the indicator always starts. The small panel in front of the machine also contains a switch to start it. The entire installation operates on either a six-volt storage battery or the ship’s current. 1S SAIL WAGON THRILLS AIRMAN Evidently seek- ing new thrills, and willing to take them on land, a noted British air- man has built him- self a vehicle that crosses the fea- tures of a_ buck- board with those of It has ball - bearing, a catboat. tour

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POPULAR MECHANICS 15 rubber-tired wheels that track widely, and a tall mast with quite a spread ot canvas. Astonishing speed is attained by this contrivance. ELECTRIC FAN HELPS SELL MOTORING GOGGLES A motorist usually buys goggles on faith, trusting to luck that they will ex- clude the wind and dust of the high- way. Oiten they don’t, as the pair that fits one face will not fit the next. One motor-supply house makes only satis factory sales, however, by simulating actual road conditions. An electric fan is mounted on the display case where it can be turned on the face of the cus- tomer. In this way “leaks” are revealed at once, and the purchaser is able to —— og a make an intelligent choice from the large Mf the Banging Op Set Pe ee poe saa variety of goggles displayed. the Prospective Purchaser to Try On Another Pair MECHANIC CLIMBS BALLOON TO ADJUST VALVE When the captain of a free balloon vital mechanism is in perfect-order before wishes 1o bring his crait to earth, he the start of a cruise, usually insp ctit pulls a cord which passes upward, through it before inflation. During pr: the neck, to the maneuvering valve at as arations fora reccnt im the top. Knowing its important portant competition function, he is always exceed- ircuble arose the big b ingly careful to see that the LBB oe 6 eh : + a The Slender Strands of the Covering Net Helped This Mechanic to Climb up the Side of the Balloon, Just before the Start of a Recent Competition. Reaching the Top, He was Supported Only by the Thin Fabric, a Puncture in Which might have Dropped Him into the Smothering Contents of the Bag

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16 POPULAR had filled. A mechanic was consequently forced to climb to the top, .using as a ladder the: slender strands of the cover- ing net. He completed the repairs with- out accident, but not without danger, as a ripping of the thin fabric might have precipitated him into the smothering gas or the interior. ODD UNSINKABLE ROWBOATS * PLACED IN PUBLIC LAGOON For the lagoon in old Battersea Park, London, have recently been bought a number of strange-looking boats, called A Number of These Odd Placed on the Lake of a Famous London Park. Are Uncapsizable and Nonsinkable and may be Used with Paddle, Oars, or Punt Pole Pleasure Boats have been They by their inventor dinghy-punts. They are best classified in this way, as features are borrowed from both these types. They are well adapted for general pub- lic use, also, being uncapsizable and un- sinkable, and fitted for propulsion by either paddle, oars, or punt pole. @ Chinese ring-necked pheasants are be- ing used in New Jersey in the fight against Japanese beetles. While most birds refuse to eat these insects, the pheasants devour them greedily. Days. Chained to His Bicycle, This Ex- Sailor Pedaled from Los Angeles to New York City in 5 Months and 11 He is Seen Here on the Right before His Release MECHANICS BRAZILIAN STATE DEVELOPS ANHINGA FIBER INDUSTRY The commercial life of Para, Brazil, de- pends so essentially on the marketing of forest products that every effort is being made to advertise the value of a common native plant called “anhinga.” In the soft beds of mud that line so many of the state’s sluggish rivers, the plant grows so profusely that an estimated total of 100,- GOU tons could be exporte d innually, The anhivga is now known as the raw material from which cellulose is obtained for the manufacture of linen paper; but recent experiments show that the fibers may be transformed chemically into an artificial cotton fiber, of structure even superior to that of the genuine article. One mill is now busy with this new work, while ef forts are being made to adapt sugar mills to the proce ab indoned PEDALS FROM COAST TO COAST CHAINED TO BICYCLE Five months and 11 days after the handcufis snapped about his wrists in Los Angeles, Calif., an ex-sailor presented himself to the mayor of New York City who struck them off. With the hand- cuffs went the bicycle to which the ad- venturous youth had been chained dur- ing every minute of the long journey. Most of the time he had spent in pedal- ing eastward to win his wager; yet he had slept and eaten in the best hotels, attended several dances, even enjoyed four airplane flights. and always chained to his bicycle. As the handcuffs fell from his wrists he observed that he wouldn't repeat the trip for a million dollars. He had figured in innumerable accidents, after one of which he spent several weeks in the hospital. wa | COPYRIGHT, KEYSTONE VIEW CO.

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~—we VA\, C * A rntcniecemeenienecncnnte —— —— —— COMMENT 4» REVIEW ges were printed * 5. 1919 FTER all is said, and after what has been done, and is trying to be done, the whole probiem of reducing high costs tor everything simmers down to a very simple explanation of only five words: Produce more or consume less. a If farmers everywhere should produce twice as much 4s | the world could consume, wheat and flour would soon be a Produce da ; rug on the market; or, More or If the world should consume for, say, two years, only Consume one-half of the wheat raised, then, too, would bread be cheap, Less and for want of storehouses to contain the surplus, the staff of life would become food for live stock. The same reduction in sel'ing price would be true of corn, potatoes, cattle, rails, overcoats, kd g!oves, rubber boots, houses, automobiles. and all the rest. With a cold winter ahead and a scarcity of nuts and acorns, the squirrels don’t work half time or go on strike. On the contrary they hustle harder than ever. Squirrels know that quitting work neither increases the quantity of nuts, nor accumulates a reserve stock. And the higher the nrice of nuts in the squirre! market, the less they stop to chatter about it, and the longer and harder they work. It is part of the price we pay for living outside a strip under the equator that we have to produce by work what we eat, and wear, and use. But who wants to live amidst malaria and venomous reptiles in order to wear palm leaves and have breadfruit drop into one’s hands? The merchants’ shelves of the world are practically bone-bare. One goes to purchase a needed article and is obliged to take something one does not want, or wait an indefinite time for suitable goods, ordered months ago, to arrive Is it not evident that greater production or decreased consumption, if indeed not both, is the only avenue of return to normal conditions? The first can only be accomplished by greatly intensified effort in every industry, and the second by individual, personal sacrifice. i ECOGNIZING the foregoing conditions, a group of wealthy men in Eng- land recently organized an Old Clothes Club, the evidence of membership in which consists in wearing garments which formerly would have been dis- carded, although far from being worn out. Thus a patch | om coat or trousers becomes a badge of honor, and a suit long | since out of style but otherwise perfectly good, a mark of dis- Old Clothes | tinction. With the rich wearing their old clothes, it is easy Club | for those to whom the saving means much, to do the same. | We in the United States may well emulate this sensible exam- L | ple. In fact the women of the country are already organizing for a remonstrance against the unreasonably high cost ot gowns and hats. The women of America, if organized and once roused to action, are capable of accomplishing practically anything they undertake. The Women’s Federa- tion already has a national membership of over a million, and scarcely a town of any size in the country but boasts a local branch. Attorney-General Palmer, for the Government,-is preparing to marshal the 30 million women of the land in an effort to resist high prices, not only of wearing apparel, but many other articles of necessity in the home. With all the women wearing out-of-date hats, naturally no one feels any embarrassment in doing so. Once the demand tor things slackens, both manufacturers and retailers will find a way to moderate prices, In this connection it is interesting to note that it is not so much the wealthy as a class who are paying exorbitant prices, but instead those who only a few months ago wanted to buy as cheaply as possible. An instance of which I happen to know will illustrate. A few days ago a well-known hatter, in busi- ness many years, had for his first customer that day a long-time patron who formerly bought only the highest-priced hats, and who could afford anything he wished. He came in to purchase a new hat. and was offered one at $15. He = 13 anieaeels eT scusvereresenstisligentensiusnsngenenelngsaneeeasesaeeegesnaae a Nf | ——-

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" POPULAR MECHANICS

refused even to try it on, and likewise others at less price, until the dealer offered one at $6, which he bought. A little later appeared a man who evi- dently was engaged in some manual labor. He indignantly rejected the $6 hat, likewise one at $10 and $12. Finally he said, “Wot you think Tl am? I got money; show me a good one.” His “lid” cost him $15. And finally came a colored man who asked tor something sweil, and, pointing out one he saw, cheerfully paid $20. A friend of mine who wanted an inexpensive raincoat was first shown one at $35, which he refused. “Have you nothing less?” They had, and he was successively shown from one table to another, and finally landed on a lot at $15, which he bought. “What’s the matter with this coat?” he asked the clerk. “Why, nothing,” he replied. “I wear one of them myself, but everybody wants the highest-priced ones.” The difference in both looks, quality and durability of the various coats was, in this case, all out of proportion to the difference in price. On account of high wages, and high prices, people seem to accept the latter as inevitable and fail to save, often even where they could. Ea ONE of the surest ways, however, to pull down prices is for each one to work faster, when he works. It cannot be denied that the effect of largely in- creased wages (disregarding the high cost of living) has been generally to some- ala how create a desire to do less than the old-time, normal effort. The shortage of both men and women, in all occupations, has made employes of all classes feel that they could do less and get We should away with it. If the boss didn’t like their work, they could Do More easily get another job, and so they could. But this is taking advantage of a condition which doesn't get anybody anywhere [ ___} in the long run. Instead of shirking and slacking, how vastly Na better for our own country, the world, and for ourselves individu- ally to rol! »p our sleeves ard tackle the proposition of restocking the world with that magnificent spirit which carr'ed our boys over the top in France. With peace came a tremendous relaxation of strained effort and nerves, and the pen- dulum of our effort naturally swung too far the other way. Now, it’s time to get back to a sane medium; in other words, pre-war effort. If we can only do this, and all the other countries of the world, we will once more be able.to think and work normally, and we shall all be happier and vastly better off. The mere receiving of so much money for so many hours in this place or that is not alone the highest motive; it is well worth while to feel each night that we have done our bit, have contributed our part that day toward restoring the world to its former condition; and if in the doing we can make it even better than ever before, the greater the satisfaction. =o= N interesting letter today from a young woman in Florida says: “I am a girl of 16 who will have to earn her own living in about two years—maybe less. I like all kinds of boy’s work, especially machinery and cabinet wood- working, which I have taken up for three years. I have also had mechanical drawing for two years, and am now taking Women machine drawing. Is there any demand ior a girl in this kind B of work? “a oceme da Indeed there is. Already some of the largest manufacturing Draftsmen concerns in the country have discovered the advantage of em- ploying in their drafting department such young women as have a natural inclinaticn toward mechanical subjects and have fitted themselves for the work. Thus far their work has been supp’emental; transferring or filling in plans laid out by men more experienced. One dcepart- ment manager says: “In our case their work ‘s neczt, rapid and accurate; they are less apt to waste time than the yorng men. Of course, we can never tell when they will marry and leave us, hence as a class they are less to be counted on for the more important work which requires years of training and experience. But what they do, they do well. To those young women who prefer mechanics to teaching and the other established occupations now chiefly filled by women, the drafting room offers an attractive field, with good pay. a. —— enn oes , an ee ee _a_S> - : - -

—— —<—— ¥

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~* *>ponsull POPULAR MECHANICS 19 the wood and coal and oil in the world suitable for fuel, will have been exhausted. It is unthinkable that the people living here will have to perish from cold, or eat uncooked foods. They will not, for inventive genius will have anticipated the crisis and gathered light and warmth Saving | from the air and sea. Nothing but the abundance and nearness Wasted of coal and oil has prevented the working out of this problem before this time. Energy The heatless days during the war, and now the coal strike, will surely direct attention to the problem, and in all probability there are those living today who will witness its solution. Nature has been prodigal in providing forests, and these are almost gone; also coal and oul, and both are being used up at a rapid and ever-increasing rate. But she has yet in reserve forces far greater, which ages will not exhaust—tides and solar heat. The possibilities of heating, which include light and power, in these two elements are so vast that all the coal in the world is but a handful of kindling wood to a great conflagration. Harnessing the tides has thus far been tried with a little success here and there, but the practical, universal tide motor is yet to emerge from some inventor’s mind. It may not come for 10, 20, or even 50 years, but some day we shall find it, and when we do it will doubtless be different from any we have tried thus far. And the millions of horsepower beating down upon desert and plain, and in the tropics, only to rebound into the air, like a bird calling to his mate but receiving no answer, some day will be caged and released as needed, to serve humanity. However, the use to any extent of solar and tide power is conditioned upon other inventions, which can distribute the power thus made. This involves stor- age and transmission, the latter a distance of a thousand miles where it is now a hundred. Fame and wealth deservedly await those who shall work out these inventions, or discoveries, in a practical way. In the meantime the wonder is that cities within, say, 300 miles of coal mines are not already supplied with gas for heating and electricity for lighting, from plants located at the mines. The saving would be staggering, doing away with railroad shipment of the coal, unloading and hauling at destination, shoveling into | boilers and furnaces, and finally the removal and disposal of the ashes. Inci- dentally, the yearly saving in the material things which are harmed or ruined by smoke from soft coal would amount to hundreds of millions of dollars, and the health of these communities would be greatly improved. Power made at the mouth of the mine would be the last word in its econom- || ical production with steam engines and turbines. Vi iA Net in your day or mine, and it seems a long way off, but eventually all | [ | iW ___ _—______ — H. H. WINDSOR —— —>— -- se 15 a - FRENCH TRACTOR GOES FORWARD OR BACKWARD “Built like a bridge and balanced like The two sets of implements only do the i seesaw” might well be the catchline work of one, but this objection is re £ innouncement of a pe culiar tractor now a offset by the time ind ground popular in French farming districts. The saved in turning the machine around. long steel frame balances a a the engine-driven eround wheels in the middle. and has duplicate ets of cultivating imple- ments and a driver's seat either end. Instead of turning around, the ee Iriver simply changes seats and reverses the en- gine, his weight bringing OPYRIGHT, PRESS ILLUSTRATING SERVICE the occupied end into Frenc h ea tor Which is Never Turned Around: The Driver Merely Changes Ends and Reverses the Engine, the Frame being Balanced ‘ontact with the ground. on the Two Central Driving Wheels

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20 POPULAR MECHANICS Mount Rainier Fire Ranger's Cabin, Built of Native Stone Because Timber Was Not Available at Such an Altitude: Even the Ranger’s Instruments are Set on a Solid Stone Table, as the Insert Shows CAST-IRON BURIAL CASKET MYSTERY OF ANTIQUITY An archeological mystery was un- earthed in the Louisiana swamps a short = time ago, when 24 two negro hunt- ers found an an- cient coffin, made wholly of cast iron. The folds of a shroud are skill- fully imitated in the metal, while at the feet is an hourglass ‘design, and at the breast space for a name- plate. The head has an octagonal window opening, and the upper and lower halves are united by 15 cap screws, and have tongue-and-groove edges. There is little mention of metal burial caskets in the history of burial cus toms. FIRE RANGER’S STONE CABIN IS ABOVE TIMBER LINE For the cabins of fire rangers, the mountain lookout stations of the U. S. Forest Service, the standard material is lumber, and they are made more or less according to one set of plans. The Mt. Rainier station, however, is an exception. Its site amid rocks and snow is far above the timber line, and hoisting lumber up to it was a discouraging prospect. So the cabin was built of stones, gathered on the spot, and only cement was hauled up, melted snow supplying the water. The finished cabin is completely weather- proof, a highly effective shelter, and a huge rock pile outside the door makes a solid table for the ranger’s telescope, range finder and map. NOVEL LAMP SHADE PROVIDES MOVABLE REFLECTORS A new adjustable lamp shade is de signed to’ reflect the light produced by an electric bulb in various directions to suit different needs. Two hollow quarter spheres, made from sheet metal, are pivoted on a bracket that fastens on the socket. These can be drawn together to form a reflector over, under, or on either side of the lamp, or they can be separated Adjustable Lamp Shade: The Reflectors are Shown in Four Different Positions on an Electric Droplight to provide shades on both sides. The parts are held in position by thumbscrews at the joints. pe EEE

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eed ° ~ POPULAR MECHANICS 2 KOREAN METAL TYPE OF 1403 NOW IN AMERICAN MUSEUM Whatever the true origin of movable metal types, it is now definitely known that Korea used them as early as 1403 years before lLurope s earliest claims. Specimens of these types now have a place in the American Museum of Nat- ral History. They are in Chinese char- acters, Korea at that time being under the protection of China. In use, the type is set in a beeswax bed, a_ cylindrical concavity in the base assisting adhesion. Impressions were taken much as a mod- ern printer “pulls proof,” the faces being inked with a brush,‘and the paper pressed down on the type with a felt cushion. € \ number of five-ton concrete buoys have been constructed by the Public Works Department of Kingston, Jamaic: icach buoy is about 6 ft. in diameter, with evlindrical walls about 3 in. thick. PLANE IS FIRST OF PROPOSED TRANSCONTINENTAL FLEET The country has lately watched with interest the flight of a great passenger- carrying biplane from Milwaukee to New York and Washington, D. C., and re- turn. The performance is excellent in rf 4 ee so 7 Each of the 20 Passengers S REVOLVING GLASS CYLINDER ON NOVEL DRINK MIXER Drinks prepared in a ne mixer come vy mechanical contact only with glass, as the device is not equipped with a metal mixing rod, common in other types. This feature, according to the manutfac- turers, renders the contrivance more Sanitary. Two gla S jal fit to- gether to form a liquid-tight cylin- cri il container, which is held by arms pressing on it ends and revolved hy i small electri motor. The latter is controlled by an o1 1 dinary snap switch, which can be installed wherever convenient. I itself, but is made spectac ilar bv the port that the ship is but the first of a fleet that will maintain regular service between ‘ York and San Francisco. ‘arlor-car’” planes in the daytime and “sleepers” at night may rush passenget from coast to coast in 36 hours. This first unit of the proposed fleet has a span of 95 ft. and an over-all length of 50 ft two Liberty engine give a speed of a proximately 110 mil in hour lhe cabin Seats t core ot }) = 3 wicker cbatil iner: The Photograph at the Upper Left Shows the Interior of the Cabin, Lo j ts beside a W i of S ed Cellul

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HELGOLAND, GERMANY’S GREAT ISLAND FORTRESS ( Helgoiand, ‘Germany’s Fa- ) 9 7 mous Island Fortress in the North Sea, has Emerged from Its Censorial Mystery Only to Disappear, for Its De- fenses are Now being De- stroyed to Carry Out the Terms of Peace. In This View, Looking South along the Island, the Harbor near the Northern Point Is Visible, and Two Heavy Armored Turret Guns, Showing as White Circles on the Ground One of the Last Improve. | ments Made by the Germans Was the Huge, Unfinished Concrete Breakwater Guarding the North Sea Side. During the War, This Massive Structure Formed One of Germany’s Most Important Subma am rine Bases CYR The Turtleback Cupola at the Left Is the Protective Armor of Steel Covering a Large Howitzer. The Workmen are Engaged in Cutting the Steel with an Oxyhydrogen Flame, Rapidly Converting the Armor Plate into Scrap Iron

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alin meme DESTROYED TO SATISFY THE TERMS OF PEACE > The Intricate System of Timber Brace re Which was to have Formed the Founda- tion for a Huge Concrete Bre. kwater like the One Seen on the Opposite Page, to be Used as a Submarine Base: Behind It Rise the Great L aad Fortification J f j ak iene ~ meal POE fpete ; WO. “ Huge Naval-Gun Mountings of the Defense agair Seen Only as White Dots in the Top Picture of t! Some of These Guns are Reported to Be §

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24 POPULAR MECHANIC ELECTRIC LIGHTS WORN BY jected in favor of a scheme of strengthen- TRAFFIC OFFICERS ' ing the two central ribs by incasing them with ferro-concrete. Staging was accord Nighttime traffic congestion at several ingly suspended from the unaffected outer street intersections in Boston has made ribs, and work started simultaneously it necessary to protect the trathe otheers from both abutments. Reinforcing bars, by means of electric lights on hats links, and stirrups, were first and shoulders. Current for issembled, after which the the three bulbs is supplied by concrete was poured. Six dry batteries carried in the weeks later the old bridge overcoat pockets. The trai A was opened once more, this fic officer, who was in thi time better able to bear the case a sergeant guard, 1 made still mor ¢ con- % spicuous by long - white gloves and white traps. placed crisscross on his breast. heavy traffic of today, though in appearance little changed. FIRE TRUCKS COLLIDE IN BUSY STREET Even a hotel lobby may be no haven of safety from traffic dan- gers when high-speed fire trucks collide. Two of the big motorized engines,. weighing nine tons each, met head on in a Syracuse, N. Y., street a short time ago, and when they had stopped spinning, one OLD IRON BRIDGE RESTORED BY CONCRETE ARCHES With controls unmanage- able, a tractor engine broke through the railing of a cast- iron bridge in Shropshire, COPYRIGHT, INTERNATIONAL . Electric Lights, WhiteGloves, Tested on the sidewalk, headed Kngland, several months ago, and White StrapsGuard This for home, and the other oc- Trafic Officer by Making and in this way reminded the Him Conspicuous cupied the lobby of a hotel. guardians of local engineering It had hurdled a line of ash records, that the old structure had been cans at the curb, cut off a lamp-post, in constant use for 95 years. During al! picked up two passers-by, and entered that time it had required only routine re- the hotel through a plate-glass window pairs. The ensuing examination showed Inside it caught another innocent by that, though it had long carried loads that stander, and set him down unharmed at far exceeded anticipations of its construc- the desk; but the two men carried tor, masonry and ironwork were in excel through the glass were severely injured lent condition. Of the four cast-iron ribs, ee or arches, however, the two inner ones @Any passenger on a Handley Page were found to be slightly fractured in London-Paris air liner may purchase for several places. Repairing with fishplates 72 cents a luncheon basket containing was first considered, but eventually re- sandwiches, fruit, and chocolate. Cast-Iron Bridge Built a Century Ago by Famous British Engineer: Small Fractures in the Two Inner Ribs, or Arches, Made It Necessary to Inclose Them in Ferro-Concrete, 1% Inches Thick. The Suspended Staging is Shown at the Left; the Rehabilitated Arches, at the Right

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POPULAR MECHANICS 25 FRANCE TO STORE EXPLOSIVES RACKS OF ELECTRICAL UNITS IN GLACIER-FED LAKES SIMPLIFY INSTRUCTION The glacier-fed lakes of the Pyrenees Instruction in electrical subjects is are to be the storehouses for France’s vast accumulation of military explosives, ac- cording to a recent dec- laration in the chamber of deputies. The speaker explained that the stuff will deteriorate quickly if kept in the usual way, eventually becoming a menace to lite and prop- erty. If destroyed out- right, on the other hand, the government will suf fer a loss°of almost a billion franes. So instead of “keeping her powder dry,” as enjoined by the __ old saw, it seems. that Left, Above, France will keep it damp, insie Panel of : . ignaling Equip- and incidentally at a low ment ; Right, Port- and even temperature, ble Rack for a in the strange = store- houses mentioned. It is hoped that the life of the powder will be increased in this way from the usual 10 or 12 years to 50 or more. greatly simplified by an ingenious system MOUNTAINOUS PILES OF CORN SNOW-CLAD IN COLORADO Thousands of bushels of corn, heaped in mountainous piles, lie on the fields of eastern Colorado, and now the first —_ - : winter snows are drifting over them. Special Rack for Motors and Generators, with Wire { ’ ‘ : Guard for Protection and Casters for Portability he season’s crop has been so tremen- dous that the facilities for moving it recently brought out by a Wisconsin firm, of mounting collections of related units on panels and displaying the panels on sy cial portable racks. The lichter apparatus such as signaling and telephone equip ment, is arranged on standard panels, of which several may be stored in the lower part of the rack. Motors and generator have a frame of their ow? protected hy a wire guard The racks are on castet and may readily be moved trom « class room to another, increasing the con- venience and reducing the expense of struction by stationary installations. A 5,000-Bushel “Mountain” of Corn, Caught by the @The “Lost and Found” column of an Snow Before It could be Moved, and Promising ~ eastern newspaper recently carried for th i Se ee See first time a notice headed “Lost from have been taxed beyond capacity, leav- Airplane.” An aviatrix advertised in this ing a good deal of chilly work for the way the loss of a fur neckpiece during an shuckers. exhibition flight.

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This Section of the Quarter-Mile Demonstration Track, Constructed by an Enterprising Automobile Merchant s Devoted to Several Sharp Turns That Prove the Value of the Car on Narrow City Streets Prospective Purchasers Who have been Carried over the Odd “‘Steeplechase”’ in the Dealer's Demonstration Car Know Exactly What tne Machine can Do TRACK TESTS CARS UNDER ROAD CONDITIONS

acency. Here the demoinstration tra winds about the tie ld, foing over a stretci of bowlders., up and down two stairways over railroad tracks, bumps, and. po holes, that simulate the conditions e1 countered in the ordinary cross-count motor touring. In addition to demo strating the riding qual ities of the car under suc! conditions, the track is also provided with several sharp curves, and a figure &” designed to show thi

On This Rock- Screwn Stretch ; Demonstrated 1e Mettle of the Springs machine's easy handling as applied when driving in congested City traifc, The test track has cot manded much publ Realizing hat th ¢ le monstra-

ion ot auto- —-—— ——— terest, and mobiles on The Four Rails Bbinice 1 in the Above . . 1 111 , paved streets Picture. Sim- Op ne, tl is hardly. ulate the Ordi- two demor ' - nary Country stration cars ir to the. Railroad Cruss- tration Ca , prospective ing being used : : as = uuver, and that it has for this work numerous evils from tl ha oo standpoint of the automo- bile seller, at

company has built in Le \no | < 1 oe | 1 oset . Al vel _— \ geles a t-Mile qaemon boveisaseries iat ital oS se f “Thank You, stration [rack, nich . Ma’am’s” That used to show their cars to Rivals the Worst prospective customers un Found on Any t aire aie 5 Road | | condition den aer road tical with those that would eg oe Play r it the Right Play encountered on a trans the Role of Cul- "=. be ees anhalt ¢ue verts, Subjecting yh a cane on. contine | tout ) os i.e , the ars to a saat . (he auto track occupies Twisting Strain

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POPULAR MECHANICS 27 approximately 1,000 persons over the course each day. In addition to show- ing the performance of the car under actual country-road conditions, the test track also gets the automobile dealer away from numerous perplexing prob- lems, such as salesmen joy riding in the machines, persons “mooching” free taxi- cab service under pretext of interest in purchasing, ete. Another big item in favor of the test track is that it reduces the expense of demonstrations, by .the elimination of waste mileage in seeking those road conditions that many pros pective buyers demand to see the car driven over, and the great saving of time among employes in viving demonstra- REVERSIBLE PROPELLER NOW UNDER GOVERNMENT TEST To the future may best be left all ap- praisal of the reversible airplane propel- ler. Perhaps it will some day be judged the greatest contribution to the art of mechanical flight since the Wrights’ first biplane; perhaps not. Sufficient now is the bald stateme.ut that the mechanism illustrated and deseribed in’ Popular Mechanics Magazine for December, 1917, is being tested and developed, under gov- ernment supervision at McCook Field, at Dayton, Ohio. It is mounted on a stand- ard training plane. Examination of the device shows that its virtue lies mm its simplicity. The in- ventors have realized that the gears and g other complexities of previous attempts pelled weakness and failure from. the very start. They believe that only the implest of mechanisms can withstand the tremendous centrifugal stresses devel- oped with peripheral speeds that times run to 600 miles an hour. some- tions that really mean something to the prospective buyer. The experiment is thus a success from every viewpoint. ——— . For Good Measure, the Dealer has Added Thes: Steps to the Obstacles on His Demonstration Track, Putting His Cars to a Test Never Actual Use Encountered in MANY PLANETS LINE WITH SUN IN UNUSUAL CONJUNCTION The mechanism of the solar system is set for strange action on December 17, 1919. On that date the great planet Jupiter, red Mars, Venus, Saturn, litthe Mercury, and the remote Neptune all will range themselves in line between the sun and earth, while Uranus will continue the vast series on the opposite side of the sun. Many old-time superstitions have been revived by this unusual conjunction, and alarmists have even appealed to modern science to support the theory that the combination threatens to produce a huge sun spot and cause electromagnetic dis- turbance on the earth. Astronomers point out, however, that there is no connection between planetary attraction and sun spots, and that earth dwellers will remain physi- cally unaware of the celestial combination. Four of the planets will be visible just be- fore dawn at the time of the conjunc- tion. Details of the Construction and Operation of the Reversible Airplane Propeller are Withheld at the Request of the Air Service Authorities. It Is Possible to Say Simply That the Mechanism is being Developed with Satisfactory and Encouraging Results

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28 POPULAR MECHANICS WOODEN HEAD OF HINDENBURG DETRUNCATED IN BERLIN If the German field marshal. von H1 lenburg, has not vet sutte ed ott The Trunkless Head of the Great Hindenburg, Done in Wood, Lying in a Berlin Park After the People had Dismantled the Heroic Statue ipitation, at least that humiliation has heen visited upon his gigantic efhigy in the Berlin Zodédlogical Gardens. This great statue, made ot wood because all metal was needed for war purposes, was an inspiration tor popular subscription to the war loans, and for each subscription a nail erected as is driven into its base. Now the people have wrecked the huge figure, and its colossal head is lying in front of the prematurely named “Column of Victory.” WEAKNESSES OF OLD BRIDGES REMEDIED BY NEW STUDY Restoring strength and resiliency to old steel bridges is comparatively new branch of engineering effort. Che 1Se- fulness of the work ts dependent on the ibility of the engineer to diagnose the at ments of a bridge, and their cause. While railroad bridge does not wear out like moving machinery, its parts are by no means stationary, but are set into rapid ibration by every impact and ‘every shift of the load they carry. Bridges built 25 vears ago to carry 125-ton engines and $5-ton cars, now must carry 250-ton en- cines and long trains of cars up to 150 tons ind at ore itly increased speeds. The original ettects of impact by flat wheels and at rail joints. and the vibrations ot balance ind side sway, are theretor: multipli several times, and their cumu lative result is to weaken the structut {1 corrosion, too, have their de- 7 5 ’ 7 bilitatine influence fo anal thes ‘ | | : ‘ conditions. and. by applving the correc re medy to s » the expense and troubl ot msta | g \ rid 1 the | 1¢ I 84 ¢ CONTRACTOR BUILDS FURNACE WITH CONCRETE SILO FORMS The contractor who constructed a la ( n elt ito tora raota4ri 0 c1atiot rT naff i build or con crete silos SO he 1 it he ime ecessatl to make oO ror turnac or th ad struction of the cobs, which accumulat: so rapidly. he simply used his silo-build ing forms and other equipment. Tl complet d furnace cons quel tly resemble a truncated silo. with numerous smoke holes piercing the upper half. Within it is lined. up to the level of the low holes. with heavy fire brick. This Is Not an Ancient Castellated Dungeon Keep but a Concrete Cob Burner Built by a Silo Con- tractor. The Walls are Lined with Fire Brick = tt AO een tom

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POPULAR COPYRIGHT, INTERNATIONAL MOTORCYCLE CARRIES SIDECAR BUILT LIKE LIMOUSINE At the recent automobile show in Paris, first of its kind since 1913, there was exhibited a sidecar “coupé” that drew much favorable comment. Its pleasing lines, glass doors, and windshield, and the heavily upholstered interior combine to make it quite as desirable for many purposes as a_ high-priced automobile. The odd sidecar is built for use with a heavy French motorcycle of equally rad- ical design, and intended for touring and commercial purposes. TCI TRANSOCEAN-RADIO DETAILS SHOW PLAN IS PRACTICAL The object in transmitting wireless tele phone messages across the Atlantic from Canada to Ireland some months ago, as announced in Popular Mechanics Maga- zine last June, was to gauge the amount of current necessary for practical work. It is now disclosed, that a 315-hp. alternat- ing-current generator was used with a wave length of 12,000 ft.. the aerial being S00 ft. high, and the current sent into it 16 amperes. With the ordinary commer cial type of amplifying equipment at the , receiving end, the messages sent under the most difficult conditions were and easily received. @A Pittsburgh laboratory has taken up the work of collecting and _ purifying radium emanation, for use as a substitute for the element itself in hospital work, because of the risk of losing small tubes of radium. The emanation is purified by a chemical process. MECHANICS At the Left is Shown a New French Motorcycle of Original Design, Recently Exhibited at the Paris Auto- mobile Show, and at the Right, the Same Appointed Sidecar Specially Buiit for It Cycle Attached to a Luxuriously MILLION-POUND LIFT BRIDGE THREE HUNDRED FEET LONG For two years steel workers and bridge builders have been engaged upon the construction of a remarkable single-leaf bascule bridge across the Chicago River, in a railroad-yard district of the city. The new struc ture, now completed, is stated to be the largest of its kind in the world. The length of the bascule is 300 ft., and it is balanced by a counterweight of nearly 1,000,000 Ib. It is essentially a railroad bridge, and carries a double track The counterpoise weights of the bascule = are built up of huge blocks of cone- Bzescule Bridge with a Single Leaf, 300 Feet |! Asserted to Be the Largest of That Variety World: The Counterweights Required to Balance I are Made of Concrete, and Weigh Nearly 1,000,0C0 Pounds in

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THUNDERSTORMS IN THE MAKING By ROGERS D. RUSK, M.A. HH \VE you ever been up in the air to $000 ft., shows in a remarkable way how watch a thunderstorm grow? If these clouds begin to form on a warm you were merely on the ground lookin summer day. kach flutfy .cloud repre — —— sents the point where moisture rising ircm the earth has begun to condense. ihe rapid formation of the clouds mean uneven heating ot the Surtace ot the earth and the presence of lots of moisture in the air. Vhese are the conditions whicl cause thunderstorms in summer. If this condition continues for an hour or so. the result will be that seen in the n« photo. Che clouds PTOW together, born — Ing a continuous rolling mass of dens vapor, cutting’ off the flier’s view of th 1 1 earth. lo the people below, the , grows dark, and they say it looks threat ening. Up above the clouds, the tur Lulent vapol disturbs the air and th experiences “bumps.” ° So tar the storm has only been { ening. The clouds have spread side) as far as they can; now they begin grow heavier. The heated air from tl earth below pushes through the he layer and bulges it upward. T[ligher an higher it is pushed while mors d mor moisture condenses, and this great bulge ing mass of vapor, sometimes three ¢ four miles high, has become a thunder- cloud. Its bulging tops are called thun der peaks or thunder heads, and they are This Photograph was Taken from an Airplane toShew responsible for the lightning, the heavi- Cloudlets Indicate Where Moisture, Rising from the ness of rainfall, and the hail we some- Earth, has Begun to Condense times have in midsummer. One of these up, then you saw only the bottom of it. stupendous thunder heads, its top four {he airman is the one who sees just what miles above the earth, is shown in the las; is happening in a thunderstorm, and the picture on the opposite page. iccompanving pictures illustrate —— : ———— — ; ; = the birth and growth of a regular & te summer joy killer. j é . ngs hile > rain is ashing 1 é . While the rain is dashi g on “ ioe ¥ ee, the earth beneath, strange things hs . ned ire happening high up in the ae - hee ur. Dark masses of vapor push up above the storm and tower miles into the sky. Whirling cur- rents of air cause the clouds fairly to boil up and down, while the lightning flashes and_ the thunder is deafening. \ll this has grown from a very small be ginning. A few hours before the sky was, perhaps, perfectly clear. \ll at once a few white patche hecome visible to the eve, and if thev quickly begin to dot the whole sky, it is a warning sign. The picture illustrating this The Little Clouds in the First Photograph have Coalesced, aft 7 “Ay e an Hour or Two, into This Rolling Mass of Vapor Which point, taken at an altitude of Shuts the Earth Away from the Airmen Siequeee ee = were ten eae

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sas saline POPULAR MECHANICS 31 RESiRney Here, in Diagram Form, Is the Story of the Thunderstorm. The Little Clouds at the Left Are the First Condensation of the Rising Moisture, Indicated ,by the Arrows. Later, These Cloudlets Unite, as in the Center, into a ———- Yet Rather Level, Mass of Vapor. At Length, Warm Air from the Earth Pushes a This Vapor into the the energy of a thunderstorm is amaz- ing. A single great cloud may contain billions of pounds of water vapor. The energy developed in a few hours may be more than was taken to build the pyramids. ‘The flashes of lightning from cloud to cloud are sometimes 20 miles in length, and when we stop to think that it takes a current of 15,000 volts’ pressure to produce a spark an inch long, we can only wonder at the immense amount of electricity involved in a single flash. Sometimes the wind from a thun- dercloud, or the “squall” as it is called. is violent enough to level trees and small buildings, and is improperly called a tor- nado. There is a big difference. A tor- nado is a violent whirlpool of air that sweeps across the country and twists off trees and roofs in its path. The wind from a thunderstorm blows straight away from the storm and never twists. The tornado is always dangerous, while the wind from a thunderstorm is only oc cesionally dangerous. ssive, Fantastic Thunder Peak Pictured at the Right. A Thunderstorm Follows and the heaviest drops of water fall- ing downward. This causes a separation of the charges of electricity (most smal! drops are negatively charged) which continues until the lightning flashes from the top of the cloud to the bottom, o1 from one cloud to another, or from the cloud to the earth. Flashes to the- earth are seldom more than a mile long, as the bases of thunderclouds are rarely more than that distance above the earth, and usually are much nearer. Broadly speaking, there are three gen- eral stages in the development of a thun derstorm, corresponding to the pictures given and to the diagram. There must be strong currents of moist air rising from the earth, as indicated by the ap pearance of the white patches of cloud. This condition must continue until the sky is covered. And lastly, the force of these upward currents must be great enough to push the clouds up into thun- der heads. \ thunderstorm then results When the energy of a thunder- cloud is so enormous, it is no wonder that violent winds and immense charges of electricity are developed. The diagram shows how this happens. In the first place, the higher the thunder head grows, the more moisture condenses, and the more rain falls; also the colder the upper portions of the cloud become, In hard storm, where the thunder head pushes to an extreme alti tude. the temperature becomes so low that the drops ot water freeze and form hail. The air is always electrified with respect to the earth, and the condensing vapor collects these charges. There are also two main currents of air in such a cloud, the warm air The Thunder Peak hes Formed. Back of the Airplane is Seen pushing upward and the cold air the Towering Mass of Vapor. Molded by Rising Air Currents from the Earth Popular Mechanics features will appear in moving pictures issued by Paramount Magazine.

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2 POPULAR MECHANICS MAUNA LOA’S RIVER OF FIRE has become a place of titanic and awful pectacle he eruptic " ; ILLUMINATES WHOLE REGION ectacl | ruption which burst torth so violently a few weeks ago from With a veritable 1 r ot fire ming \laut 7 Loa’s lotty summit, rising more for 2U miles through a mile-wid lev than 2!» miles in air, was described in this magazine last month... Since then the stream ot white-hot lava has nar- |, but deepened in proportion, with minution of incandescence In the se radiation of hght from this torrent ot the interno, it is possible to read at midnight five miles from its course, and irkable photographs have been taken 1 ot tl iciterous flood by its own radi TO WORK GREAT COAL FIELDS FOUND IN EAST AFRICA Coal deposits ot great extent and good have ] q \ lave been ound in Portuguese Kast Africa. sritish financiers alread have acquired exclusive mining rights u i] 1940, and perpetual rights to all regi red mines, in a tract of more than 25 GO square miles along the Zambesi River. v1 “2 os | il] be tarte ad at once. GRAPE SEEDS YIELD GOOD OIL FOR COOKING AND SALADS (irape see ds, now .discarded as the most tel Ss oT waste matter,. have beet found to yield, when pre ssed, an oil that Mauna Loa’s Immense Fountain of Illuminated Vapor, may serve as a Sl ) titute for cottonseed Viewed from a Distance of Five Miles, and or even Olive oil, for cooking, and as a at an Elevation of 3,000 Feet . . : Sa et as “ly : satistving ingredient tor salad dressing it has burned for itself, and gigantic fou In the U. S. Department of Agricultur tains of Steam spect il ritual ted by laborator es, a practical method has bee subterranean flames, the island of Hawai found for extract 2 the seeds from th: - om wet residue after ex pressing the juice of the grapes, and a plant for that purpose might wel of the grape erower's equipment. Thi WOTK would have to b done in the pressing sea son, from September to November. The extrac tion of oil from the dri seeds could then be es tended through the wit ter months. A _ valuabl by-product so easily ob tained nd for which the raw material exists 1n enieiie ;, a great quantities, should , 1 . rey] e t . A River of White-Hot Lava, Flowing for 20 Miles from Mauna Loa’s do mu¢ h to f ! he Summit to the Sea, through a Burned Valley a Mile Wide: One may Read ining interest ot the the it Midnight, Five Miles Away, by tl Light It Radiates, and the Two Reh IT Photographs Here Reproduced were Taken with No Other Illumination ) erower’rs. ao te

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Wiersma i tT POPULAR MECHANICS ve Steel Floor of the Biggest Gas Holder, 219 Feet in Diameter, as It Appeared Just After It in Place by About 150 Men: The Operation Took Only an Hour and a Quarter had been Laid BUILDING THE BIGGEST STEEL GAS HOLDER The immense steel bottom for one of four largest steel-tank gas holders in he world was recently lowered into place Baltimore, without bending or accident ny kind, in the remarkably short time 75> minutes. Well-synchronized work m the part of about 150 men accom- plished this feat. The holder, which. of ourse, is absolutely gas-tight, will have a capacity of about 10,000,000 cu. ft. of gas hen completed. It will be 219 ft. in meter, and will cover an area of 38,000 q. ft. In height it will be 36 ft. 6 in. when not inflated; but when it is inflated it will rise to six times that height. The water compartment at the bottom will hold 10,190,000 gal. of water. To make this giant gas holder, 7,720 steel plates will be used, with the neces- sary angles, channels, and beams: and 1,090,000 rivets will be required to connect the plates. It is estimated that it will take about five months of work to com- plete the big holder. It will have six lifts, each of which telescopes into the one below it as the gas is exhausted. Gas holders are filled with gas as it is made, and rise just as a balloon rises. Once in a great while the top lift of a gas holder balloons off from the structure, but modern construction has _ practically eliminated this danger. Weights are placed on the top when completed, which ; hy r make it possible to force the gas into the distribution system. often for consider- able distances, just by the sheer pressure of the crown \nother holder of about equal capacity is in the course of erection near Chicago, and there are two others in existence somewhat larger than either of these two. FACTORY WORKERS CAUTIONED BY NOVEL WARNING SIGNS Subtly humorous signs are emploved at a certain middle-western factory to im- press upon the minds of em- ploves the neces sity of using care in their wo One recently « a 1 plaved announces that suits of ir- Less wte mor are made to | Feereer« protect careles i ewer workmen. The | clever hint is d clared to produced - itist ‘ tory results In terchangeah! ters make it possible to varv the wording of the signs at frequen intervals, The signboard is near the factory entrance,

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34 POPULAR MECHANICS PRIZE COW IS HONORED GUEST IN HOTEL DINING ROOM A comely black-and-white cow was an invited and well-behaved guest at a busi _ EXPERIMENTERS STUDY ACTION AND COMPOSITION OF MUD JET Although the mud jet has been em- ployed to extinguish fires about coal mines for many years, it is only recently that scientific investigation has showed the reason for its efhiciency and the manner of its proper use. lhe mud jet extinguishes fire, not so much with its water content as by its power to cement loose particles together, form- ing a cake over the burn- ing areas, and so smother- ing the flames. Working on this assumption, ex- perimenters have found that the best mud con- Sists of sifted earth, screened through .2-in. “Tilly Alcartra,”’ Prize Milk and Butter-Producing Cow, Honored Luncheon mesh, boiler ash, dust Guest of a Business Men’s Meeting in a Western Hotel Dining Room and as Well-Behaved as Any of Them ness men’s luncheon in the “crystal room” of a Portland, Ore., hotel the other day. The purpose of the occasion was to honor the bovine, known as “Tilly Alcartra,” for extraordinary industry and productive- ness. She is seven years old, and in six years has produced 156,776.1 lb. of milk, yielding 6,146.36 lb. of butter—an average of 26,129.3 lb. of milk and 1,023.56 Ib. of butter a year. For this reason she is valued at a hundred thousand dollars. FLYWHEEL HURLS FRAGMENTS THROUGH BRICK WALL In these days of sensitive governors, the bursting-flywheel accidents of old are quite infrequent. That centrifugal force still awaits its chance, however, was demonstrated the other day in an IIlmois coal mine, when the big engine “ran away.” The great flywheel burst into fragments some of them of 200-lb. weight soaring 500 ft. through the air and crashing through an 18-in. brick wall. Bv the time the engine stopped from lack of steam, it was clear off its foundation, and had wrought $5,000 worth of damage. @A microphone suspended from a boat with a telephone receiver at the boatman’s ear, is a method now successfully used by Norwegian market fishermen for de- tecting and locating schools of fish Popular Mechanics features will appear tn from blast-furnace gas, and even combustible material like the solids from coal wash- ings. The resulting mud can be success- fully forced through pipes by gravity, steam, or air pressure. TAILORED OVERCOATS MADE FOR FRENCH DOGS Carefully tailored overcoats with roll collars and patch pockets are this winter robbing cold weather of its terrors for the house dogs of Paris. Fancy weaves, in- cluding stripes and checks, lend to the coats a distinction that is emphasized by the handkerchief carried jauntily in the hip pocket. The canine-wardrobe is com- pleted by a heavy leather collar which is studded with brass and adorned with a tinkling bell. COPYRIGHT, INTERNATIONA The Canine Beau Brummels of Paris are This Winter Ornamenting the Boulevards in These Tailored Over- coats. Each Costume is Completed by a Leather Collar with Tinkling Bells moving pictures issued by Paramount Magazine, . ; Perce

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SPORTSMAN SHOWS CANOE IN EXPERT HANDS IS VERSATILE CRAFT (335 Practice with the Paddle has Given a Sports man from New York City Complete Mastery of tke Canoe. Three of His Fea's are Shown on This Page He Demonstrates Abcve That a Water-Filled Cance will Not Only Support th« Weight of Two Perscns, but can be Paddled to Shore in Its Submerged Condi- tion. At the Left, He has Driven His Craft, with Bc Raised, upen the Deck of a r the Other te —— “A (The Central reassess Shows the Same Perform- ance from a Different Angle. To Complete the “Stunt,” the Sportsman Crawls to the Bow of His Canoe, Forcing His Craft into the | Water Again, and Thus | Accomplishing a “Jump” over the Other. The Lowest Picture Shows His Variation of Hawaiian Surf- Riding. Maintaining His Canoe at Exactly the Right Point in the Wake of a Ferryboat, He is Pulled Along at 12 Miles an Hour without a Propulsive Effort of His Own PHOTOS COPYRIGHT, KEYSTONE View co

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36 POPULAR MECHANICS COUPLING DEVICE FOR TRAINS OF SMALL TRAILERS Hand trucks are rapidly disappearing from modern docks, warehouses, and Above, Flexible Coupler for Small Trailers: Right-Angle Made with Ease. factories, and are being supplanted by trains of small trailers, drawn by electric tractors. The increased use of this new means of transportation has resulted in the development of an ingenious flexible- coupling device, which permits the trains to be turned in small space, allows their use on any grade, and renders easy the assembly or separation of their units. One member of the contrivance consists of a drawbar, mounted to swing freely on a horizontal axle. Another is a jaw, de- signed to receive the free end of the draw- bar, and mounted to turn on a vertical axle. The jaw is equipped with an auto- matic locking device which is operated when the drawbar is inserted. A lever is provided for releasing the lock. NEW SCREEN FOR RADIOSCOPY USES PLATINUM SUBSTITUTE The high price of platinum gives value to the recent discovery by two French scientists that a cheap compound of tung- sten and cadmium makes an excellent sub- stitute for platinum on the fluorescent screens used in radioscopy. A _ coating containing the new ingredient is unaf- fected by the atmosphere, and is insensible to the prolonged action of the X-rays. It is found, too, that the resulting fluores- cence is white, instead of green, as with the platinum compound. .The black image of the object to be inspected or photo- graphed is consequently outlined on the new screen with distinctness emphasized by greater contrast. Turns can be Below Is Train, Drawn by an Electric Truck DIM CLOUDS FORMED IN SKY BY PASSAGE OF AIRPLANE In connection with the suggested for- mation of artificial clouds by the ex- 2 haust from military air- ships, it is reported that recent experiments have led to discoveries along another line. It is claimed that the. passage of an airplane through the air may result in the forma- tion about the machine of a natural cloud. Such a phenomenon’ would not, of course, be abso- lutely impossible, as local changes of pressure in a very humid atmosphere might easily result in the condensation of water vapor and the formation of a “cloud.” Analogous results have actually been obtained on damp days in high-speed wind tunnels, the vapor making visible the flight vortices about the suspended wing model. a Trailer AUTOMOBILE TOP DISAPPEARS INTO DOUBLE-WALLED BODY A novelty of the last French automobile salon was a car with a disappearing top. The car body is built with double walls, and the top, of Victoria style, drops down French Car with Hollow Walls, into Which the Victoria Top is Folded and Covered with Removable Sections between the walls when folded. Remov- able cover sections conceal the opening, conforming to the general lines of the car. A powerful British wireless station is soon to forward, three times a day, meteorological reports of special interest to airmen. eI os a

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POPULAR MECHANICS é 3 ~2 WAVE MOTOR HAS INGENIOUS CLUTCH SYSTEM At the Left Is One of the Big Double Clutches, Transform- ing into Continuous Rotation the Oscilla- tions of the Wheels —— + One of the 24-Foot Bull Wheels is fi Appears Above. The Huge - > idl is 7 Py =e, Paddle, Fastened to It by I- fF ' Beams, Hangs Below to Catch | 7 the Motion of the Sea : i ! | | Beach, Calif. The plant q ® | occupies i space 260 wy 40 ft. at the end of a pier. . “ ‘ " Each unit consists of \ . ’ ] paddle, 14 by S it.. tached by he ivy | Lye ms =a toa bull wheel, 24 ft. in diameter. ‘lhere are six oft these units in oper ! tion. Ropes from each The View Shows Only a Part of the Wave-Motor Installation, Which wheel pass to a system Occupies Over 10,000 Square Feet of Pier Space. Carry Electric Lights to Add Interest to the Operation + Wave motors, designed to utilize the waste power of the sea, are usually looked upon merely as a possible future development, and it is not. generally known that a successful machine of this kind is in actual operation at Long DRINKING FOUNTAIN SUPPLIED WITH WATER FROM WELL Klectricity operates a novel water sys tem that supplies well water to a publ drinking fountain in Beaver Falls, Pa \n electrically driven pump draws water from a 106-ft. well, located under a fire station, and discharges it into a 500-gal tank in the basement of the building. In uldition to this, the device pumps air into the tank, creating pressure to force the water through a pipe to the fountain, which is placed on the sidewalk outside the station. When the pressure falls to a certain point, the machine is started automatically, and runs until the operat- ing pressure has been restored. _—_— The Wheels ‘ “ : , or ciutenes oO! pecullal mn so arranged that movement in one direction drives t **9 1 ° 1 main shait. while reversal 1 ntly re- lease : the cl ch By s dt l cl tcne paddle movements in bo directions at made to turn the sh operate i elect! , ' rr ¢ | ; 7 i | -_ - ———— a The Water Which Flows from This Drinking Fountain is Pumped by Electricity from a Well Located under the Fire Station in the Background

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38 POPULAR MECHANICS SPRINKLER DESIGNED FOR USE ON EXTENSIVE GROUNDS Water is evenly distributed over a large area by a new lawn sprinkler de- signed for public parks and large private RED CROSS TALE FROM SYRIA READS LIKE ROMANCE Among the pleasantries practiced by the Turkish soldiery on the Armenians of Aleppo, Syria, was the appropriation for firewood of all planks and beams from their homes. The houses consequently fell apart, and the Armenians lived in the open. Discovering this condition on en- tering Aleppo, several months ago, the American Red Cross put a captain in charge of a building campaign. The cap- tain at once dispatched cutters to the faurus Mountains in the north. These floated the logs down the New Type of Lawn Sprinkler: Jets of Water Issue from Perforations, Arranged in Spiral Lines on the Long Pipe. The Device is Intended for Use on Large Grass-Cov- ered Areas, and can be Moved Easily Euphrates in rafts to a spot about 50 miles across the desert from Aleppo. From this point they were carried by a camel caravan to their destina- tion. Attacks by Bedouin tribes interrupted’ the service at first, but were soon discontinued when 30 armed men were sent with every convoy. The grounds. The device consists of a 10-ft. pipe, mounted at one end on a two- wheeled truck, and provided at the oppo- site end with a two-legged rest. Ar- ranged in spiral lines at 2-ft. intervals along the pipe are groups of perfora- tions, through which jets of water aré eiected when the sprinkler is attached to a hydrant. The contrivance is especially suitable for use on sloping ground. AUTO HEAD AND TAIL LIGHTS COMBINED IN NEW ACCESSORY Decided convenience for the motorist is embodied in this new windshield spot- light that functions, when required, as both headlight and tail” ~=s light. The unusual fea- ture is secured by piercing the reflector, and fit- ting into. the opening a _ small red lens. The single bulb thus sheds its light both to the front and to the rear, making the new accessory especially desirable for use when the car must be parked on the city streets after sundown and for long periods of time. building campaign was a success, while the captain’s American energy and pluck have won him a repu- tation that will certainly live in local legend. AVIATION NOW TAUGHT IN COLLEGE For the first time in the history of pedagogy, it is said, flying is now included in a college curriculum. A score of stu- dents in an eastern school have already signed up for the instruction and have started training. Although called a course in “aerial observation,” the work will teach the nomenclature, care, operation, and construction of the modern airplane. Later in the year, a course in piloting is to follow, to be accompanied by study of aerial navigation, meteorology, and the theory of flight. The college has pur- chased a biplane of the type widely used for elementary training of army pilots. FISH TRAP OF HUGE CAPACITY FOLDS INTO SMALL SPACE Salt-water fish that travel in schools near the surface, such as herring, mack- erel, cod, and bluefish, are confronted by a new menace, while the markets are promised a plentiful supply of sea food next season, A Boston market fisher-

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POPULAR MECHANICS 3s A Small Working Model of the Fish Trap: The Inventor’s Right Hand Indicates the Entrance to the Trap has invented a trap that can be up or knocked down six men in half an vet has a capacity 1000 to 2,000 bbl. of lhe netting is ar- ranged on hoops, 10 ft. ind 15 ft. apart, ved up to fom a = Packed on bo ra, the trap oc ft. circle. C1 little room, and it eclared to have a lit or nve vears. W hik floating, it is fI¢ idily tow | trom one location to another. PART RAW AND PART TANNED IS NEW LEATHER BELTING Rawhide. or leather tre ited only with water, is far stronger and more durabl | 1 than tanned leather, and very flexibl lacks the elasticity demanded of machin: belting. Both forms of leather are in geniously combined, however, in a ne belting material invented and used in Italy. Che process is to subtect t] water-treated hide to heavy pressurt Vil a che ( ke re d die, m iking a pattern ol iltet nately compressed and _ natural leathet The subsequent tanning process does not affect the compressed areas, and the result is a composite leather rendered elastic by the tanned portions, and durable by the raw portions. The Full-Size Trap, Knocked Down or Packing on Shipboard, Consists of a Pile of Hoops, a Few Curved Floats and a Number of Barrel Buoys, and Takes Up Very Little Room Assembled by Six Men i Se 10 Feet Deep, and Has a Capacity of 1 Trap Is 60 Feet ji me 000 to 2,000 Barrels of | Afloat, tt e STATE GIVES MEDAL TO ALL CITIZENS IN WORLD WAR lo all who ice t he state Oregon will pre ent a bro. ‘ medal, hung from a “Victory” rib bon. O1 the mi | the 1! World War Ser i ] i { ft) t! ré ( Thi Stat in (irat 1] Cl tio! ot | i h Se} ( kk | os

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40 POPULAR MECHANICS CONVEYOR SYSTEM DESIGNED FOR LUMBER YARDS

The manner in which lumber is transferred from railroad cars to piles, and from piles to delivery trucks, measures largely the efficiency of the lumber yard. Many concerns will conse- quently look with favor on a simple conveyor sys- tem that does this work quickly and with the help of just a small fraction of the usual working crew. The equipment consists essentially of an overhead I-beam track, on whose lower flange _— *

rolls a trolley. From a =e two-drum hoist two | £ '¢ cables lead to the trolley, ii > . : |®@ one passing over a pul- pol ~ —ee | = = * ley and lifting the lum- ears ae OS SH x be be red he FOR DeLvER sities lL ZA . c S|] 8 ver to be moved, the = S c Ij} a ° ee ee | =r other controlling the mo- } ° e or = a | I | j = Z tion of the trolley. The ot } system is most desirable, k 31° STANDARD 7S ew CROSSWISE 7 of course, Ww he nN he: av y Pn. soe of the Lumber-Yard Conveyor System Pictured at the Top is »s : fo ‘ = Best Understood from Inspection of the Diagram Below. The beams form a large part System Speeds Up Delivery and Cuts Down Labor Costs of the yard stock.

MATERIAL IN DRYING MACHINE = sylvania manufacturer produces a drying machine declared to yield 65 to 88-per- TURNS IN HEATED DRUM cent efficiency. The charge of material By completely surrounding material to is placed in the annular space between be dried by furnace gases in a revolving the outer and inner walls of the drum. drum, and in some cases tumbling the Hereupon the hot gases from the fur- material through the hot gases, a Penn- nace, after having first heated the — a a es entering end, pass Pee Bi oy oe ie “~ through flues into the inner cylinder of the drum, out the opposite end, and back through the annular space, the material being tumbled by plates on the cylinder walls while the drying goes on. In another type, the gases do not touch the material, but hug the outer and inner walls of the cylinders. An _ ex- haust fan extracts the gases, moisture and all. By the time they reach Ine Left Pace through the Hollow Core of the. Drum'to the Bad, the fan, they have given Then Back through the Material to be Dried, and Out the Exhaust Pipe up nearly all their heat by Means of a Suction Fan. The Rotation of the Drum Tumbles the os eels Material in the Hot Gases without waste.

6 TT” eee “— EO ae ee en ae

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POPULAR MECHANICS 41 NOEKW & UNDERWO The Martin Passenger Plane should Differ Little The Ease with Which a Multi-Motored Military Airplane is Converted into a Passenger Carrier is Exemplified in the Case of the Martin Bomber, Shown Above and Below in Its New Role. A Few Minor Changes in the Fusclage Give Space for 12 Passengers, Two of Them in the Nose with the Two Pilots. The Others Sit with Equal Comfort in the Cabin to the Rear, Performance from the Bomber, Which, It will bs Remembered, Has a Speed of Nearly 120 Miles an Hour with Full Load AMERICAN BOMBER BECOMES PASSENGER CARRIER Che assumption that military airplanes re unable to meet satisfactorily the de- mands of peace is justified in the case of mall craft designed to meet the special- ized requirements of combat work. Planes of the multi-engined bomber type, how- ever, are easily converted into excellent commercial vehicles. Freight is carried quite as easily as bombs; with a few alterations, a fuselage is made to rival in comfort a Pullman car. A conspicuous example of this last is the Martin 12-pas- senger airplane, which was recently flown from Cleveland to the government’s ex- perimental field at Dayton, Ohio. It was found that the same qualities that made it a dependable, high-speed bomber, now fit it for quick passeng transport b tween our large cities lhe speed of well over 100 miles an hour is supplied by two Liberty engine: either ot which can maintain full flight. @ Liberal new provisions for war-risk it surance allow any discharged service m to reinstate his insurance by paying two months’ premiums before the first of th year. Within three months after charge no statement of health is nec: sary. Those who have paid more than two months’ premiums for reinstatement may secure credit for the difference

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12 POPULAR MECHANICS PICK COTTON, BOLLS AND ALL, IN PROMISING NEW SYSTEM By the simple process of picking cotton in the boll, incubating the crop thus Cotton Mechanically Extracted from Bolls, Fed Un- opened t~ the Machine, is Seen Issuing from the Gate. In the Corner, Is an Artificially Opened Boll gathered, and then extracting the fiber by machine, the inventor of a new -,..2m promises a practical metamorphosis of the whole cotton industry: A $150,000 plant already has proved the practicability of the idea. The success of the method rests on the discovery that cotton matures as much as three weeks before the hull opens, and actually deteriorates from the time the boll first cracks. Under the new plan, the bolls are picked, with considerable saving of labor, when they begin to crack. lhe harvest of green bolls is then loaded into a machine, incubated in steam- heated chambers, and finally opened by simple mechanism. In 55 minutes, or less, all of the contained cotton is delivered ready for the gins. One machine unit produces one bale an hour, requiring 20 hp. to run, 20 lb. of steam, and two at- tendants. Cotton so picked is declared to be cleaner, brighter, stronger, and longer- fibered than the staple as handled at present. MAKES EMERGENCY DUCK BOAT FROM MOTORCYCLE SIDECAR On the opening day of the duck season at Baldwin Lake, Calif., last fall, a strange - craft was sighted in the eelgrass of the shooting grounds. Its occupant was known to have motorcycled in over 150 miles of mountain and desert road, and then to have been so unfortunate as to find all the boats gone. When he came in that night with his limit of birds. it was seen that he had made a queer but efhcient duck boat out of his motorcycle sidecar. W ood plugs closed the bolt holes where it was removed from the frame, and a can of pitch, judiciously applied, sealed all possible leaks. . Rock ballast of some 60 Ib. steadied the somewhat cranky craft, and its inconspicuousness aided the ingenious sportsman in securing an un- usual bag of birds. So well pleased was he with the adventure that now he con- templates constructing a real combina- tion sidecar and boat. Changing a Motorcycle Sidecar into a Duck Boat: At the Left, the Ingenious Sportsman is Seen Calking the Seams of His Queer Craft, and at the Right, His Ship Launched, He Is " on His Way to the Hunting Grounds ERIE acm me oan

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The Herculean Power Put into Human Hands by Modern Machinery is Graphic- y Suggested Above. The Great Booms of the Hoisting Barge have Here Dislodged the Coal Scow from Its Muddy Bed. The Cargo of Coal was Not Affected by the Misadventure LOADED BARGE SALVAGED BY GIANT HOIST The titanic quality of modern industry was recently exemplified routine salvage job on the New York City water front. A coal barge, loaded to capacity, had sunk in 20 ft. of water be- tween two wharves. In bygone times, recovery would have en tailed a week of submarine “min- ing’ for the coal, even before operations could have been begun on the barge itself. But far other wise today. A clumsy salvage craft lumbered into the slip and came to rest beside the sunken hulk. Four steel cables, passed beneath their load by a diver, were threaded through three huge blocks. As the engines grunted at their task, the submerged barge stirred on its muddy bed, pushed its cabin above the sur- tace, and in a few hours was floating under its own buovancy nce more. : : PHOTOS COPYRICHT, PRESS A LYSTRAETING SERVICE The Heavily Loaded Coal Barge has been Brought to the Surface. The Hoisting Barge is Seem in Part at the Right

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44 POPULAR MECHANICS FLOATING SOFT-DRINK STAND IN CANADIAN HARBOR Catering to boat and canoe parties, a floating ice-cream and soft-drink stand in Halifax harbor, Nova Scotia, is fairly overwhelmed with patrons on warm sum- mer evenings and week-ends, when the water is thronged with small craft. The novel enterprise is carried on a small house boat, built especially for that pur- pose. If a band concert is given at one of the several clubhouses on shore, as 1S often the case, the business is towed to the vicinity by a motorboat owned by the proprietor, and finds many customers among the audience. Customers remain in their boats while being served. CITY OPERATES STREET CAR ON ABANDONED LINE Municipal ownership is being tested in i small way at Attleboro, Mass.. where a single trolley car is operated by the city over a stretch of track less than four miles long. The line had been abandoned by a private corporation, and the equipment sold as junk, when the city took charge. One trip is made every hour by the ear, which is manned by twe crews, each con- sisting of a motorman and a conductor. \ seven-cent fare is charged, and the line is declared to be paying a_ substantial proht. @ Wireless instruments of all kinds, in- cluding wave meters and electron tubes, amateur or commercial, will now be tested by the radio laboratory of the Bureau of Standards on payment of a nominal fee. Anchored in Halifax Harbor, Nova Scotia, This Floating Ice-Cream and Soft-Drink Stand Does a Thriving Business TO MARK GRADE CROSSINGS WITH STANDARD SIGNS Extreme simplicity is the strongest characteristic of a new grade-crossing sign _ that has been adopted as standard by 19 states, to meet new safety laws. The metal pole is 5 ft. high, to catch the rays from automobik headlights, and the sign is a metal disk, 24 in. in diameter. The field 15 white, with a l-in. black border, and carries only the letters ail eS Si in black, 5 in. high and 3: i in. wide, defined by 2'-1n, black CTOSS lines. The back is painted black. One sign 1s to be located —_ at least 300 ft. from the tracks at each crossing approach. This simple emblem conveys at a glance a warning familiar to all, and its instant recognition will be aided by its standard form in different states. NOVEL CONTAINERS PRESERVE RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES For the pre ervation of radioactive sub- stances a new form of container has been devised, which may be made in almost any shape of bottle or iat. lhe V ills are oO} olass, two layers thick, id between the lavers is a uniform film of iron and lead- foil composition, fused into place. The stopper is built up in the same manner. Any emanations or radiations from the expensive materials are stopped by the lead foil, and deteriorating action on the lead is prevented bv the interposed glass. Cross Sections Showing the Construction of Special Containers for Radioactive Substances, with Lead and Iron Foil between Two Layers of Glass = bl Bd ea te mere aera a th TE eI

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INT. 0 I Le —__— oe - OM er te 8 mt en ¥ . ee. POPULAR MECHANICS 45 GERMAN WOMEN ADOPT NEW SPORT THE women of Germany were introduced to a new sport recently, during an athletic carnival in the city of Berlin. The event took the form of a march, or procession around the grassy field, each marcher being provided with two alpine sticks, and with two long, heavy wooden shoes, or skis. Spectators in the stands found much to amuse them in the entangled contortions of the unskilled, while the marchers did their best to keep step and maintain their position in the column. The wheellike guard, seen at the end of each pole, prévents its sinking too far into the soil. RAILROAD AUTOS SHOW NOVELTIES IN DESIGN Two interesting adaptations of the au- tomobile to railroad requirements are illus- trated in the accom- panying photographs. One is noteworthy for the ballast platforms, or trays, which have been attached beside the front springs to hold the front truck on the This Big Touring Car was Converted in the Railway Shops into an Inspection Car for the Company Off cials. Regulation Lights, Block Brakes, and a Small Cowcatcher Adapt It to Its New Work rails at high speed. Stone ballast is usu- ally carried, but the trays are often found useful for transporting heavy bagga erage [The second car has been converted to its present condition in a railroad shop, and is now used for inspection tours and other official business. For its new serv- ice the car is equipped with a miniature —_— : cowcatcher, fenders over the front truck, . onlatiar ly motive rohtine ean Ne? Features of This Railway Speeder Are the Baggage regulation LOCOMOTIVE lis hting equipment, Trays above the Front Wheels and with heavy block 1

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SOME NEW SUBMARINES OF THE BRITISH NAVY | View from the Conning Tower | Forward along the Deck of a | British Patrol Submarine Run. F ning on the Surface at Full Speed Ahead: The Object in the Immediate Foreground Is the Gun Mounting —_—_ ene ai , a = bees —~ —— “ rm oe a lla i: Si ae — oe F an A Sen eae The British “K-12,” a Submarine ; 4 Cruiser of Unusual Type, 338 Feet | | Long, of About 3,000-Ton Surface Displacement, Operated by Steam, and with a Surface Speed of 24 Miles One of the New British Submarines of the ‘‘E’’ Type, Used to Patrol the Waters of the Greek and Turkish Coasts: The Single Gun is Mounted Forward as Seen. The Picture, Taken at Speed, Gives a Good Idea of the Utility of the New Craft 46 er Pape

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AND GLIMPSES OF OTHER UNDERWATER CRAFT vitt 7 4 YY The Particular Subma- }— rine Depicted Above Is British Only Because It was Washed Up, like a Dead Whale,on the Beach at Hastings, England; It Is the German ‘U-118,’ 270 Feet Long ] 2c ’ oi along the Deck of a British “E”’ Type Submarine, Developed for Patrol Duty during the War | The Gun Seen Mounted on the Deck Is Ready for Action, as Are the Men in the Conning Looking the Other Way at the Conning Tower of the *E-14," Showing the Gun Adjustment, and the Semi- circular Deck Plates, Which are Turned Outward to In- crease the Foot Space for the Gunners r — A German Submarine’s Gun Equip- ment, Seen on the Deck of the “‘U-155,”’ Interned in England: The Big Gun Is 20 Feet Long and 5.9-Inch Caliber, and Has a Disappearing Carriage Which Operates When the Boat Submerges Tower j 4

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48 POPULAR MECHANICS ENGLAND HAS HUGE FLAGSTAFF CUT IN CANADIAN FOREST Kew Botanical Gardens, near London, England, now boasts one of the tallest —— — = «anaes 7% The Giant Flagstaff in Process of Erection: It JP Is a Single Stick of Pine from British Columbia, 216 Feet Long, 32 Inches Square at the Butt, with a 12-Inch Top YRIGHT, WE TERN NEASPAPER UNION fligstaffs ever made from a single piece oi timber. The great stick of clear pine, 216 ft. long, was grown in the forests of British Columbia, and was cut in 1915, as told in the August issue of Popular Mechanics Magazine for that year. The squared butt of the pole measures 32 in. across, and the top is 12 in. in diameter. a great ITALIAN DIRIGIBLE TO CARRY 150 PASSENGERS TO AMERICA Meant for the long voyage from Italy to America, there is now building near Rome dirigible which differs from the famous craft of England and Germany in owing little to the genius of Count Zep- pelin. The trame is of entirely original design, comprising as it does a_ hollow metal beam which extends centrally from nose to tail. This huge frame member re- places the usual internal keel, as it not only gives rigidity to the whole ship, but furnishes cabin for crew and space pas- sengers. Report names 150 as the num ber that will be carried in this way, in ad dition to fuel sufficient for a VOX we Ot 3.125 miles. FLOATING DOCK FOR STEAMER MADE FROM OLD CAR FERRY dock facilities at a Connecticut city, a company establishing a steamboat line across Long Island Sound cut the Gordian knot by floating in a dock of its own. An old car ferry, 225 ft. long and 35 ft. wide; was refinished for its new duties, and moored to piling at a convenient bridge approach. A run- way to the bridge was made by planking Unable to obtain over a pair of connected steel girders, hinged at the top and sliding on iron plates at the dock end, to take up thi t tide movement. The steamer docks, stern on, at the floating wharf, and as their levels are always the same, loading and unloading of passengers and autos is greatly facilitated. A folding gangy on the vessel's bow is used at the oth end of the trip, so that it is never nec: sary for the steamer to turn lank around The Floating Dock Is behind the Steamer, Which was Not Docked Stern On in Its Regular Manner When the Picture was Taken. At the Right Is Visible the Hinged Incline from the Dock to the Bridgehead

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he Facade and Main Entrance of the Memorial Chapel is Seen at th? Left; at the Right, an > Interior View That Gives a Glimpse of the Pictorial Windows, the Pulpit, and the Carved Choir Stalls VALLEY FORGE MEMORIAL NEARING COMPLETION By GEORGE F. PAUL TALLEY FORGE, that historical center which will always be identified th the heroic efforts of the colonial ops in their struggle for liberty, now s the distinction of possessing one of e most representative and expressive emorial buildings in the entire country. king the form of a chapel, it is dedi- ted to the memory of Washington, and the same time typifies the entire period The interior of the chapel is rapid] . t approaching completion. Forty-eight pan- els make up the ceiling. hese panel represent all the states of the Uni and symbolize the final achievement of th national group. The glass windows will constitute a national history in themselves They tell the story of the tlement, and development of the nation in a progression le ] . qaiscovery, Set- iding upto the we the Revolution. It is intended to house dow, which will represent the fe « collection of mementos, almost every (;eorge Washington as told in 36 med of which is connected with some in- lions. The various lead f the Re idual or event of the revolutionary lution, including Ro eriod. Paul Jones, Thomas J: lhe complete group will consist of a cock, and _ others, | ter, chapel, and building, containing other windows. ms it which patriotic societies may The choir stalls et: a library of documents pe rtait 4 The figure in the 1 » the revolution, and a tower overlook these stalls represent the encampment. continental com The cloister is divided into 13 bays, will be hung facsimil ch representing the officers and men ried by the trooy he rom one of the 13 original states. Ten will consist of It re now in place; Rhode Island, Georgia, the French regiments that served nd North Carolina being the only ones country dut till missing In the general design of The plat ¢ the cloister is included an outdoor pul- far back as 1903, but the construct pit, commanding a natural amphitheater the buildings was not begun where large gatherings for various pur- years later. [nterest in th lertal poses may be held. was kept alive, however 1 it 1s to | Popular Mechanics features will appear in moving pictures issued by Paramount Magazine, ‘

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50 POPULAR MECHANICS One of the 13 Bays into Which the Cloister is Divided, Representative of the Original States, is Seen at the Left; the Right View Is a Detail of the Carved Choir Stalls, with Figures of Colonial Officers in the Niches hoped that additional monuments will be to time and thus make it a continuously incorporated in the memorial from time _ living project. COPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOO & UNDERWOOD DIVISION GOES OVERSEAS TO POLICE SILESIA A PROVISIONAL division of 5,000 United States regulars, under a brigadier general, recently crossed the Atlantic to supervise the coming plebiscite in Silesia. The cheerful group above, from the 50th Infantry, formed pert of the division, and was photographed near the stern of the “President Grant” a few moments before the departure from Hoboken, N. J. The regiment was formerly post garrison at Camp Dix, N. J., and was the first contingent of regular troops to leave the post for Europe since the signing of the armistice. ricer ae

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POPULAR MECHANICS 51 WRECK OF ANCIENT GALLEON YIELDS PUZZLING RELICS Some interesting relics have been found ly divers who are exploring the wreck of » ancient galleon, presumably one of the ill-fated ships of the Spanish Armada, vhich was sunk in 1588 near the west- ern coast of Scotland. Among the ings brought to the surface are rounded stones, 3 to 4 in diameter, and a quantity lead at. copper in sheets. hese were puzzling until an ‘planation of their presence the ship was found in the ritten orders issued to the ric fleet just before it iled from Spain on its voyage misfortune. The papers stated stones were carried for \@ rowing at the crews of enemy ships were engaged at close rters, while the sheeting was usec » cover the decks of fighting craft to otect them from artificial fire, at that me used in naval warfare. A digging achine and a high-pressure stream of ter are being used to remove the mud which covers the wreck. merous the en vessels GAS BOMB SHIELDS CONTENTS OF SAFES AND VAULTS Poison gas foils would-be robbers who hlow open safes or vaults equipped with — a new protective device. A thin glass bottle, filled with chemicals, is placed in a metal holder inside the doors. When an explosive is used to break them open, the concus- sion shatters the flask and releases a ee oe its contents. [Ex- sed to the air, the chemicals form a ras which suffocates and causes tem- porary blindness. € For the construction of masts to sup- port wireless aerials, electric cables, lamps, ete., the German army found a way to use wood strips, * to 1% in square, in place of iron. Some of the masts were as high as 50 ft., with sides either parallel or tapered, and proved remarkably strong. Two of the Neatly Screened Pits are Shown Above. Workman at the Demonstrating Howthe Pipes are Forced from One Pit to JACKING CONDUITS PREVENTS MUTILATION OF PAVEMENT Pipe-laying activity in a city street is usually a matter of long trenches bor- dered by unsightly rubble piles, later Aa | ale >, a The Right is the Other tumbled into the excavations and covered by bulging scars on the paving surface. Methods used in the recent installation of a conduit for electric cables, at An- geles, Calif.. were in pleasing contrast, however. Instead of the gaping trenches usually sunk through the torn pavement, small pits were dug every hundred feet, each one surrounded by a neat canvas fence which shielded the workmen from the sun and prevented the wind from scattering the dirt. With no further dig- ging, a length of pipe was laid in each pit, capped by a tough steel point, and forced through the earth to the next pit by means of a powerful jack. The work was thus quietly completed with a mini mum of inconvenience and annovance to the public. Los MAGNETISM DETECTS FLAWS IN RIFLE-BARREL STEEL Minute cavities and other flaws in ‘ bars used for making rifle barrels, a readily detected and located by a mag- netic testing process developed by tl U. S. Bureau of Standards. So sensiti' is the test that care must he taken, in using it, to avoid re jecting bars whose de- fects are too small to be of consequence. Che apparatus has been installed at the plant of a large manufacturer of firearms.

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52 POPULAR MECHANICS TOUGH BARK OF DESERT PLANT SHIELDS TREES FROM RABBITS The shields of woven wire, or of tin, used in the past to protect sapling fruit from the enawing teeth of jackrabbits and cottontails, have lately become very expensive. An infant indus- try now exists, in consequence, for the manufacture of cheap shields from the bark of the yucca plant. It grows in the arid regions of the Southwest, and after a little bruis- ing allows its bark to be slipped off. Drying, this bark becomes so tough that it defies the sharp- est teeth of the familiar field pests. Per- forations are made to permit access of air to the young sapling. trees WATER FLOWS FROM OLD FENCE POST ON OHIO FARM Some mysteri- ous natural force has transformed an old fence post on an Ohio farm into a fountain. Streams of water have been flowing from holes in the wood for several months, and show no sign of dimin- ishing. One theory is that the lower end of the post taps an un- derground spring, which finds an outlet through channels formed as the wood decayed. MANY SEALSKINS OBTAINED FROM PRIBILOF ISLANDS An enormous shipment of sealskins, valued at $3.000,000 arrived in this coun- try recently from the Pribilof Islands, which are located off the coast of Alaska, in Bering Sea, and owned by the United States. The consignment included 26,185 _ sures the constant pelts, weighing 500 tons, and represented the islands’ production for 1919. After the hides are tanned and dyed, they will be sold at auction in St. Louis, where fur buyers from all parts of the world gather to make their purchases. When the skins arrived, they were packed in brine-filled casks, 16 to 40 pelts in each container. The shipment was carried by a govern ment boat. WINDSHIELD SPOTLIGHT MOVED WITH NEW EXTENSION ARM The awkwardness, and sometimes dan- ger of having to lean over the steering wheel to adjust the windshielcd spotlight, is re sponsible for th: production of a new auto acces- sory. It consists of a small tele- scoping arm, with clamp and_ uni- versal joint at one end, and __ ball- shaped _ handle at the other. Clamped to the spotlight shank, the joint and telescoping arm are ad- justed so that the ball handle is always within a few inches of the steering wheel. GATE VALVE OF SHEET METAL USEFUL FOR IRRIGATION As a substitute for gate valves of com- paratively expensive cast and machine- finished construction, a valve stamped out of galvanized sheet iron has been found wholly satisfactory for irrigation service in the West. The new valves, placed on the market by a California con- cern, are readily regulated from a drip to full flow, and hold their ad- justment until changed. This in- flow of water necessary for proper irrigation with grav- ity feed. Popular Mechanics features will appear in moving pictures issued by Paramount Magazine,

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POPULAR MECHANICS 53 T! Ca EXPLODING LOCOMOTIVE BLOWS ITS CAB AWAY \ passenger train winding its way through the Ohio River valley on its way to New York a short time ago, crashed into a freight train, and before it came to standstill, the engine had _ passed through three of the freight cars. Then, eakened by the impact and strain, the ‘omotive boiler exploded. The entire | is blown away by the blast, leaving ed only a tangled mass of controls, uges, and pipes. It is almost needless that the engineer was killed € A British captain of the air service is ing quite a sensation in art h the paintings he has circles executed in ] —, nud-air. He works in an airship, at about f , “1 tt., and has finished a number of ~ Two Those-Sccin’ Cars TRATIN €® e Remains of the Locomotive After It had Passed through Three Freight Cars and ) Portion was Blown Entirely Away, the Rear Portion of the Boiler Wrecked, and the Engineer Killed Which Attracted Attention at the Paris Automobile Show: The Then Exploded: The ODD THREE-WHEELED AUTOS SEEN AT PARIS SHOW \mong the many notable the first held in Paris since 1913, two three-wheeled cycle cars that drew particular attention. One was of the conventional tricycle tvpe with steering wheel in front; but was un- usual in being constructed almost entirely of evlindrical brass tubing. The other was similar to lescribed a machine dé Mechanics Magazine tor October. exhibits that made automobile show were in Popular 1918, but differed in having, instead ot chain drive, a shaft drive to the single wheel in rear. This second model >¢ r be de the Frame of the achine at the Left is Made of Cylindrical Brass Tubing The Chassis at the Right Has a Shaft Drive to the Single Whee! in the Rear

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54 POPULAR MECHANICS HEAT RIVETS ELECTRICALLY WITH SMALL TRANSFORMER Heating rivets as they are used, with a minimum of power and no smoke, 1s accomplished by a portable electric transformer now on the market in two sizes. The operator stands two rivets on end block of copper, flanged for air-cooling, and allows the two heavy copper electrodes, also air-cooled, to descend upon them. The elec- trodes are raised by independent pedals at the base of the angle-iron stand. Rivets up to 5 by ¥% in. are handled, with an adjusting switch for different sizes, and the larger machine will heat five pounds of rivets with an energy consumption of only one kilowatt-hour. ona CONCRETE DRYING FLOORS FOR COFFEE PLANTATION In most coffee-growing districts, the berries, after picking, are spread out on smoothed earth areas to be dried pre- paratory to the hulling of the beans. The latter are dried in a somewhat similar way. However, one of the large coffee plantations in Costa Rica has re- cently improved its drying grounds by paving them with concrete, thus insuring a more sanitary handling of its product. The paved areas are flumes or also served by concrete ditches which convey running water over the paved area so that as occasion requires, the concrete surface may be ‘thoroughly cleansed by washing. BOATS TO CHASE HURRICANES NEW WEATHER BUREAU IDEA Weather reporting is generally regarded as the mildest of occupations, but it will become one of the most adventureson: and romantic if the idea of a Weather Bureau official is put into effect. The plan calls for a number of swiit, stanch vessels to pursue tropical storms through Atlantic and Mexican Gulf waters and report them by wireless for the protection of the coasts. These storms frequently center far out at sea, without affecting land barometers until it is too late. This was the case with the storm that devas- tated Corpus Christi, Tex., a few months ago. FIRST POLISH SHIP SAILS NEW YORK TO DANZIG The “Kosciuszko,” initial ship of a ne\ Polish-American line of steamers, ha been put into service between New York and Danzig, after being rechristened at Brooklyn with a bottle of water a short time ago. The vessel formerly was named the “Cape Lookout,” and was operated during the war by the U. S. Shipping Board. It is a 7,371-ton freight steamer, with accommodations for 300 passengers. \ 5,250-ton freighter of former British ownership is reported also to be in posses- sion of the new Polish line. @ In anticipation of possible emergencies, the government plans to salvage Ameri- can material from the war areas -of France, and with it construct a number of narrow-gauge railroads along. thi Mexican boundary line. Coffee Drying on Concrete: On the Right can be Seen Piles of the Beans, Ready to be Spread over the Smooth Floor. he Flushing Conduits are Shown at the Left

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POPULAR MECHANICS MARKER HONORS SEWING-MACHINE INVENTOR Elias Howe, Jr., Inventor the Sewing Machine, Who was Born 100 Years Ago \ bronze tablet, set in a stone slab ikenfromthe Orstep of his old — home at Spencer, \lass., now immor- talizes the birth- place of Elias llowe, Jr., inventor if the sewing ma- chine. The marker unveiled on Sept. 10, 1919, the cen- enary of his birth and the 73d anniver- sary of his invention, patent for which was granted in 1846, following a history + MACHINE CUTS AND SERVES BUTTER AS NEEDED lo replace the untidy restaurant butter owl there is now made a small porcelain- finished icebox in which the butter is kept Vithin the box is a central compartment : cracked ice, with space around it for eight 1-lb. prints of butter, and a third. smaller compartment with a duct and a reciprocating knife in the bottom. As the lid is lowered, a plunger makes contact with a pound print placed in this third compartment. When an individual piece ot butter is wanted, a lever geared to the plunger handle is moved down and up. forcing the plunger downward, and simul- taneously cutting off the portion of the butter extruded from the duct below. The butter is never touched by the fingers, a fact which highly recommends the device. wocaren (ST enc encee crecres © Marker Just Erected at the Howe Birthplace: The ' Bronze Tablet is Mounted on a Stone Doorstep from stone. The ta the Old Home, and the Base ¥ 4 - in bulk, and cut by machine as needed. —t or we The House, Now Dis- mantled, in Which Elias Howe and His Famous Uncles were Born of intense applica- tion through po erty and hardship. \nother stone step from the dismatr tled house was used for the base of the marker, which is built of native field is Made from Another = , et commemorates, also, the of William and Tylet names Howe, uncles of Elias and famous, re- spectively, as the inventors of the tru bridge and the spring bed "| The Lid of the Machine has been Raised at the Left to Show the Arrangement of Ice and Butter Prin At the Right is Seen the Operating Lever, and Above Them a Cut-Away Model Which Shows the Heavy Insulation

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56 POPULAR MECHANICS NATURALIST TO SEEK ORIGIN OF WEST INDIAN ISLANDS No less a problem than the origin of the West Indies is to be studied by a SPEED AND ACCURACY GAINED BY USE OF PLANTING BOARD The use of a timesaving tool, called the “planting board,” has enabled a Ca- nadian pulp-consuming industry to employ girls and boys for the deli- cate task of planting the thousands of seedlings which go yearly to re- plenish the cut-over forest lands. Gathered from the thickly sown From Thickly Planted Seed Beds, like the One Above, the Little Seedlings are Plucked, Then are Carried to Portable Transplanting Huts like Those at the Right Boys and Girls in These Huts Set the Seed- lings into the Wooden Planting Boards. One of These Implements Leans against the Side of the Hut in the Foreground The Girl in the Photograph Above is Holding the Planting Board While the Earth is Tamped about It. Upon ‘Re- moving the Board, the Seedlings are Seen to be Set with the Correct Depth and Spacing. Here the Young Trees Grow, Until, Several Years Later, Transplanted Again, This Time at Greater Intervals as at the Right They are ¢ wer, naturalist who recently sailed from New York City for Jamaica. Two equally sup- portable theories are held in this matter by scientists, so the investigator’s work will be watched, and his findings awaited, with interest. The first theory makes Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, and Porto Rico mere fragments of the American con- tinent. It supposes that they were iso- lated by depression below sea level of the surrounding areas. The second theory sees the islands as independent uprisings from the ocean bed, caused by a combina- tion of volcanic upheavals, foldings in the earth’s crust, and coral growth. The greatest hope for a solution of the con- troversy seems to lie in the animal life of the islands. If it is evidently related to, or obviously descended from, the fauna of the American mainland, the first theory will naturally have to be adopted as the true one. Popular Mechanics features will appear in moving pictures issued by Paramount Magazine. planting beds, the little seedlings are rushed to portable canvas huts on the transplanting fields. Along the “boards,” which are about 8 ft. long and consist of a number of openings spaced uniformly between two wooden strips, the young workers here insert the seedlings so that the roots protrude to uniform length. The loaded board is then set in a shallow trench while laborers lightly tamp the earth around the roots. When the board is withdrawn the seedlings are evenly spaced and set to the proper depth. Sev- eral years later they are again transplanted with wider spacing. € To relieve the present shortage of stock for newsprint, and other coarse papers, it is suggested that use be made of stumps in cut-over lands and of the many tons of sawdust burned daily by southern saw- mills,

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POPULAR MECHANICS 57 BAFFLING TELEPHONE MYSTERY CAUSED BY PAIR OF “SPECS” Apparently of its own accord, a rural telephone line in the remote districts of western Colorado went On strike a short time ago for a 16-hour working day. Dur- ing daylight hours the line worked beau- tifully, and inspection revealed no possi- ble cause for the fact that between 9 and \0 every night its telephones went out of commission, and stayed out until morn- ing. Finally, after serious complaint, the manager and lineman started on a ee trouble hunt. They reached last house by morning, and were ad- nitted by the aged occupant. Conspicu- ous on the top of the wall telephone were lis metal-rimmed spectacles, resting in electrical contact across the terminals, vhere it was his habit to leave them every night upon retiring. The mystery was olved. REINFORCED-CONCRETE SAFETY ISLES IN NEW JERSEY CITY Unusually substantial reinforced-con- crete safety isles of novel design have been constructed in the streets of Newark, N. J., to protect pedestrians from carelessly driven automobiles, and to prevent violations of traffic rules. Ten teel rails are imbedded in each projec- tion, which is in the form of an irregular vall, 7 long, 3 ft. wide, and 4 ft. high. his extends 5 ft. underground. One side is shaped to minimize damage to mis- ruided vehicles which may collide with the structure. On the opposite side is a bench, capable of seating four persons. The isles are illuminated by incandescent lamps, placed on short iron posts, and ar- ranged under reflectors which throw their light downward on the concrete wall. Per- ons waiting for cars may use the benches. WRITING DESK IS FIXTURE IN LUXURIOUS TOWN CAR As motor cars become luxurious, their owners dency more and display a mors ten- to add to their equipment sony Folding Writing Desk Attached to the Back of the Driver’s Seat in a Recently Designed Town Car: It Serves Also as a Lunch Table When Desired, Sup- plied from Compartments Alongside of the normal appurtenances of living room and boudoir. A big town car of recent design includes a folding writing desk, arranged against the back of th: driving seat, and containing all the usual provisions for writing materials. Should the occupant prefer eating to writing compartment for lunch and vacuum bot tles supplies the requisite , and the des! becomes a table @ Commercial radio communication w Belgium has been opened by the U. S Naval Communication Service 1 me sages for any point in that country a accepted at 25 cents a word from Was! ington. 1). ro Repl oat cab] The Views at the Right and Left a Com Completed Reinforced-Concrete Safety Isles. In the Center can be Seen a old, Containing Stce! Rails

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BURIED SHELLS ARE LOCATED BY ELECTRIC DIVINING ROD As the “dowser” of old went about hunting water with his forked witch- hazel stick, scientists now are traversing the shell-marked fields of Northern France with electrical divining rods that have power to locate buried metal. Mysterious as the new instrument appears, it is simply

58 POPULAR MECHANICS have considerably shortened the drying period previously needed in making such crucibles, and are turning out clay and porcelain of the first quality. PROVIDENCE TO MANCHESTER ROUTE OF NEW SHIP LINE Providence,’ R. I., is preparing to take a new, place.as an Atlantic shipping of consequence. A port 7 steamer line has just been organized with headquarters in the Rhode Island city, and the first of its ships, an oil-burning freighter of 4,050 tons, has been al located to it by the U S. Shipping Board Manchester, England, will be the foreign port of the new line. An in- teresting asset of the steamship conipany is a reciprocal arrangement with lines running ont

PHOTOS COPYRIGHT, INTERNAT'ONAL Electric Divining Rod for Hunting Buried Shells: The Two Hoops on the Ground Are Balanced Induction Coils application of the induction 1 lhe coils are wound on two rge wood rings, held parallel with the ground and a few feet apart by a carrying frame. The observer wears a head tele- phone receiver, and an assistant carries the batterv and current interrupter in a box. <A buried shell, grenade, or other metal, near either.of the coils, sounds its buzzing danger signal, and the workers then proceed to make that patch of ground safe for the farmer. 1 modern bal ince. la SPECIAL CLAY CRUCIBLES FOR OPTICAL GLASS Glass was not the only problem encoun- tered by American manufacturers who undertook to replace the fine optical glasses hitherto imported. For melting the large crucibles of clay are needed and their requirements are unusual and severe. breaking under a heavy load of molten glass, and they must not color the glass elass, or be attacked by its constituents. Not only have domestic producers success- fully met these specifications, but they There must be no danger of their

Box Carried by Assistant, Containing Battery, Inter- rupter, and Switches for Operating the Detector Coils of Portland, Maine, and Boston, whereby they will route over the new line all ireight consigned to Manchester, and will receive in return any freight that is intended for the ports they serve. The company already has a considerable con- signment of goods for shipment. @ Realizing that the airplane is handi- capped: because forced to take off and land at dangerous speeds, the French \ero Club offers 500,000 franes ($100,000) to the inventor of an apparatus that will rise and descend vertically, yet attain a horizontal speed of 200 kilometers (124 miles) an hour.

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HARD SPIRITS MASQUERADE IN FUNERAL GARB It Was in Massachusetts That a Grieving Admirer of the Dead John Barley- corn Conceived the Idea of Holding a Funeral So Complete and Genuine in Its Appointments as to Deceive Those Whose Duty It Now Is to Watch for a Return of Departed “S pirits.’’ When the Coffin, Whose Shipper had Filled It with Quarts and Pints, Arrived at the Station, It was Received by a Regular Undertaker with a Hearse The Disinterment, in the Dark Hours of Night, Was Much Simpler Than the Burial—So Easy, in Fact, That in a Few Nights the “Spirits” had All Arisen, and the Grave Was Empty. It Was the Simplicity of the Process That Led to Its Dis- covery, for the Temporarily Successful Bootlegger Began to Appear as Chief Mourner in an Astonishing Series of Funerals, and When an In- quisitive Deputy Sheriff Finally Decided to View the Remains, the Obsequies Came to a Sudden End Black-Clad Pall Bearers and Mourners Accompanied the Casket to Its Resting Place in the Private Burial Ground of Its Consignee, and a Pro- fusion of Floral Offerings Bore Mute Testimony to the Sentiments of the Survivors. An Observant Visitor might have Noticed That the Grave Was Unusually Shallow; but the Sheriff, beycnd a Few Thoughts on the Mortality of Man, Gave the Matter No More Attention Than It Seemed to Deserve

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CLANDESTINE STILLS AND CAMOUFLAGED TIPPLE Kansas City Barleycorn’s Last Stand in West Texas was Made at Vinton, Just beyond the Ten-Mile Military Zone around El Paso, in a Small Brick Building Whose Title of “Garage”’ was Scarcely Convincing. For a Few Hours Before the Rangers Closed It Up, It Was the Only Saloon Open between California and Louisiana, and between Mexico and — The Stills Whose Likenesses are Presented on This and the Opposite Page Are Only a Few Samples Selected at Random from a Host of Strange and Ingenious De- vices, Ranging from Utterly Crude to Decidedly Work- manlike, That have been Captured by the Modern Hunters of Moonshine, upon Whom has Falien the Mantle of the Old-Time “‘Revenuers”’ ane Even Simpler Is the Combination of Bucket, ‘“‘Measure,”’ and Gas Tube, Intended for Use on a Cookstove, but Captured by State Officers in the Same Town Mentioned Above. Whether or Not So Crude an Outfit as This Ever Produced Any of the Forbidden Fluid does Not Appear, but Many Such have been Seized a ot While Simple Enough, Is of Ambitious Capacity, and in Its Brief Career of Law- lessness Doubtless Sent through the Piece of Hose That Constituted Its Coil Manya Gallon of uestionable Spirits. It was [ere in a Hollow Cedar Stump 15 Miles ( The Homemade Distillery Depicted Above, from a Washington Town The Jug was Intended to Deceive Not the Officers of the Law, but _ | the Patrons of the Bootlegger. Only *K ~| in the Upper Part Is There a Small | Amount of the Illicit Tipple, and under the Paraffin Partition Is Plain Water

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OVERTAKEN BY THE NEMESIS OF THE NEW LAW Officers of the Law Preparing to Execute the Mandate of the Court by Inserting a Stick of Dynamite in the Bunghole of the Topmost Barrel: The Ensuing Blast, as Seen in the Preceding Picture, Was a Great Success Probably the First Time in History That Dynamite was Used to Dispose of Beer: A Few of the 30 Captured Barrels were Emptied into Lake Michigan, Up in Lake County, Illinois, but Consideration for the Welfare of the Fish Prompted the Court to Order the Explosive Method of Dispersion J : eu Sugar Is So Scarce Nowadays That the Word on a Barrel may be Suspi- cious in Itself, and When a Wagon Began to Unload Some Barrels So Marked at a Café in Chicago’s | “Black Belt’? the Other Day, the Officials Decided to Investigate, with Interesting Results it At the Left Is the Largest, and at the Right } the Smallest, of a Number of Illicit Stills Captured in a Recent Raid in Seatt'e. The Big Outfit, with Its Regular Coil and Goose- neck, Stands Four Feet High, with a Probable Capacity of 12 to 15 Gallons a Day. The Sma!i One Consisted of aGalvanized Bucket, a Saucepan on a Wire Stand, a Tin Basin, and a Coil Curiously Made from Kep, 4 Hollow Seaweed

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62 POPULAR MECHANICS BIG PIPE ON SMALL FURNACE KEEPS LARGE SHOP WARM A machine shop in a city is kept at a comfortable tempera- ture all winter by an ordinary house fur- Small Smoke nace of rather small size, in spite of the fact that the shop is quite long. The smoke pipe of the furnace is run the whole length of the room, and the por- tion hung from the ceiling is made up of sections as large in diameter as a bar- rel. This elongated galvanized-iron drum saves for useful radiation so much of the heat from the furnace that only an insig- nificant amount escapes up the chimney, the distribution in the room is uniform, anc the consumption of coal is reduced to a highly efficient basis. Massachusetts Furnace, with Enlarged Pipe Running Length of a Large Room, Enables This Shop to be Heated with a Minimum Amount of Coal ISLANDS IN ARCTIC OCEAN FUTURE STEEL CENTER The Spitzbergen Archipelago lies in the Arctic Ocean at about the latitude of northern Greenland, and although dis- covered in 1596, has never been permanently inhabited. Yet its age- long solitude may now be dispelled, for coal and iron have been found in rich depdsits. All along the western coast, where the Gulf Stream warms the cli- mate to a. surprising mildness, these two min- erals are lying in con- tiguous abundance, and so close to the shore that the ore could be carried in gravity trams. The possibilities of a thriving the Full — export trade are ob- vious, and in fact are realized as far as coal 1s concerned. But from a famous arctic explorer comes the sug- gestion that steel be actually made.on the spot for marketing in northern [urope. Despite the month-long arctic night, and the barren isolation of the islands, he pic- tures the future Spitzbergen as a great steel-manufacturing center. He points out that life so far above the arctic cir cle need not be drearily monotonous- coal means light as well as heat, while the wireless and the airship could prac- tically always link the workers with the outer world. LUMBER HILLS CONSTRUCTED FOR TRACTOR EXHIBIT Natural hills being nonexistent in the region, a farm-tractor manufacturing Wooden Inclines Used as Substitutes for Hills at a Tractor Exhibition: the These were Built to Provide Uneven Surfaces on Which to Demonstrate The Artificial Elevations Consisted of Heavy Timber Frames, Covered with Thick Boards the Machines in the Absence of Natural Slopes. company that recently exhibited its prod- uct in a western city, erected artificial - knolls of lumber on © which to demonstrate how the machines per- form on sloping ground. A wide incline em- ploved to indicate the practicability of operat- ing tractors across the sides of hills, while a double incline was used to prove their climbing ability. A frame of strong timbers supported inclines, which surfaced with planks. Wis were heavy

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POPULAR MECHANICS 63 Compartment-Body Truck for Hauling Concrete Material: The Cross Division Boards, Hinged on a Rod at the Top, are Released by a Hand Lever at the Side, and Dump Their Contents, One at a Time, into the Mixer CONCRETE-MATERIAL TRUCK HAS COMPARTMENT BODY The use of wheelbarrows for hauling material from truck to mixer, in road- uilding, or other concrete work, is en- tirely obviated by a new form of truck body, which is divided by cross boards nto compartments to suit the size of the mixer used. The truck has a dumping hody, and after being filled with stone | sand by chutes from a bin, is run to the mixer and hoisted. Each division hoard is hinged at the top, and is held closed by three plungers connected to hand lever at the side. The boards are released one at a time, each compartment iolding one full charge for the mixer. ‘he body is convertible to ordinary forms, 7 if BUFFING LATHE FOR TIRES RUNS ON BALL BEARINGS \ number of large rubber concerns are trying out a specially designed motor- driven buffing lathe for roughing auto tires. The buffing wheels are mounted di- rectly on the extended ends of the motor shaft, and the whole is supported on an iron pedestal of either floor or bench type. A feature of the construction is that the motor end caps are ball-bearing, with felt washers to prevent oil leakage and dust trouble. These bearings are al most without wear, maintaining the motot armature in the exact center of the field. Machines of 1% and 1 hp. have indicating switches, while the 2 and 3-hp. sizes are provided with automatic starting control- lers, mounted in the pedestal. Wheel size are from 6 to 12 in., and the motors ar for either direct or alternating current. Self-Contained Electric Buffing Lathe with Ball-Bear- ing Motor, Shown Equipped with Guards for Buffers

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b4 POPULAR MECHANICS DETACHABLE LEATHER SHIELDS | first codes to be drawn up, and is sug- FOR AUTOMOBILE FENDERS gestive of the drastic regulations that will some day govern the heavy air trattic Leather covers to protect the front above every commercial center. The pro- fenders of a motor car while repairs are posed regulations prohibit flight over being made to the mechanism under the Cities of 600,000 or more, unless pilot, —____.__ airplane, engine, and flying field” be registered with the Police Department. No airplane would be permitted to fly at such low altitude that it could not glide, in case of engine stoppage, to a registered airdrome. No-.machine would be allowed to fly beyond the city limits without full equipment and fuel sufficient to carry it to its next landing place. Night-flying planes would carry flares and a searchlight, with a red light on the left- wing tip, a green on the right, and two white lights forward and astern. Other articles would establish aerial ‘rules of the road,” govern trial flights of manu- facturers’ aircraft, and provide penalties for all violations. COWS LEARN TO SWIM CANAL Fender Guards for Automobiles: These Leather Covers ~ Prevent the Marring of the Highly Polished THAT BISECTS PASTURE Surface by Repairmen New York State’s new barge canal, with a-i2-ft. depth and a minimum width of 75 ft., cuts across a number of farms. attached or removed, and are lined with a [y Washjngton County, one dairy farm soft material which prevents scratches jn particular was bisected in a manner on the highly polished surface, even if that threatened greatly to increase the tools are placed on them by careless Jabor of getting the cows to pasture. One workmen. bold bovine, resenting the long” walk around, finally took the plunge and NEW YORK AERIAL POLICE ASK _ calmly swamacross. Not to be “stumped,” MUNICIPAL FLYING LAWS the rest of the herd followed, and now they all perform the feat daily. With The system of flying laws for large cities their aid, other herds have been instruct- recently proposed by the chief of the ed in swimming, and all are said to be New York City aerial police is one of the benefiting phy sically by the exercise. hood are new devices intended to be used in garages. The shields can be quickly Cows Swimming to Pasture across a 75-Foot Canal That Cuts Their Dairy-Farm Home in Two: This Is the Daily Performance of All the Herds in the Neighborhood, Since One Courageous Animal Showed the Way }

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Motor Truck Carrying a Logging Locomotive across a to Another: The 10-Ton Tractor Truck the Locomotive was Hoisted with LOCOMOTIVE MOVES OVERLAND ON TRUCK AND TRAILER Steam locomotives still do the hauling the famber districts. but without a rack to fun on they cannot haul them Ives. In one of the timber workings of Pacific Northwest, a short time hecame necessary to transfer a d logging locomotive from one claim nother, and there was no track be- een them. So a heavy pair of trailer heels, with a timber platform and a long for a tongue, Was hitched to a 10-ton otor truck of the tractor varicty, and derrick hoisted the locomotive on board. Lumbering roads, which need no descrip- tion, were the only thoroughfares avail ble, but the truck delivered its hurden to‘its destination. ago, eood- unusual PHONOGRAPHS AS SUBSTITUTES FOR PASTORS IN PULPITS Church congregations will be led in divine worship by phonographs, instead of pastors, if a proposal made at a re- cent gathering of ecclesiastics becomes i reality. The novel plan provides for the installation of large talking machines in pulpits left vacant by ministers who find their salaries too low to meet ex- penses, or for other reasons. Sermons delivered by eminent theologians, and re- corded in the usual manner, would be reproduced by the mechanical preachers. POPULAR MECHANICS G5 “Trackless Waste” of Timber Land, from One Claim was Aided by a Heavy Trailer, onto Which a Derrick By this system, according to its advo high-class made religious dissertation avail ible everyw here. cates W ould be MECHANICAL “GASSER” KILLS PESTS IN CITRUS GROVES Once each year the lemon and orange trees of southern California are covered with chemicall treated canvas ¥ ind fumigated with the deadly hydroey ic gas » ki lestruc scal Phe ingredients for- mer] ) | the base of the trees in open ves- vels, are now sho into the inclo- sures by pec | pumps of the kind il] Danger ) t! gassing cre is thus re yet the proces remains a hazat ? ous one. The liquid hydrocyanic acid at low temperature, is delivered to th orchardists in trucks, as the railroads 1 fuse to handle it Despite however. several ies mark « season.

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66 POPULAR MECHANICS TILTING TABLE SIMPLIFIES USE OF POWER SAW In every American farming community the coming of the first cold weather is SIMPLE WIRELESS RECEIVER UPSETS OLD THEORIES Some cherished theories of wireless- telegraph detector action are upset by a remarkable _ self-con- tained receiver just com- pleted by a western in- ventor. Essentially, it consists of a diaphragm with a spiral spring at- tached to its center, and a detector crystal mak- ing contact with th side of the spring. The poles of a permanent magnet near the dia- phragm improve it The heralded by the metallic song of the buzz saw and the popping obbligato of the gasoline engine. The ax and the bucksaw seem to share the ob- livion of the scythe and the hand rake, for the farmer cuts his winter’s firewood in modern style. And now he has at his command a refinement in the power saw itself, in the shape of a tilting-table log rack. Placing the log, which may be of any length, upon the rack, the operator moves it, on its hinged legs, against the saw. The cut piece falls, and gravity pulls the table back, permitting the log to be shoved along for the next cut. NEW SLIDE-COLORING METHOD GIVES UNUSUAL EFFECTS A process of coloring lantern slides re- cently developed by an American scien- tist makes possible some novel projection effects, and has many advantages over hand-tinting and color photography. A fine colloid film on the glass slide carries the image. Various dyes may be applied in monochrome or mosaic arrangement, or by superimposing a number of films, permitting optical demonstrations on the screen. One experiment is the projec- tion of black and white ruled lines, 250 to the inch, on a screen similarly ruled with alternate red and green lines. A lat- eral shift of .004 in. then apparently changes the color of the screen. Other colors, of course, may be used. Tilting Table, Seen in Detail at ee Ta ‘a the Left and in Operation Above, En- Set up mechanical vibra- ables the Farmer to Cut into Firewood ions betwee > erys- a Log of Any Length. Gravity Pulls tions between the ¢ ys it Back for the Shift between Cuts action. Wireless waves tal and the spring, which pass on to the’ dia- phragm, producing. sound, and proving, the inventor declares, that the crystal detector’s principle is electrostatic repul- sion, and not “valve” or rectifier action. Diaphragm, spring, crystal, and magnet are inclosed in a small shell with the usual earpiece, making a complete receiv- ing set. In a modified form, a wire from the diaphragm touches the crystal, and the — two are connected to coils on the mag- net poles, through a pole - changing switch. The crys- tal acts as a di- oe Co oe, soa = yy © 2 r > VVV~ CZs — (eam = — COPYRIGHT, FRANK SUMMER — = O } , © Upper Sectional View Gives the Arrangement of Simple Receiver, with Crystal Bearing on Side of Spring. At Right Is the Electromagnetic Modification rect-current generator, either strengthen- ing or weakening the magnei’s pull on the diaphragm. Using the weakening po- sition of the switch, undamped waves may be received directly. @ From the Army’s Recruit Educational Center at Camp Upton, N. Y., have gone 28 soldiers, all enlisted since May 1, who will demonstrate in 14 eastern cities the results of the intensive training they have already received. +2

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SURF SAILING WITH AN OUTRIGGER IN CEYLON

l > ~ »f rf n nN . . . <¥, <- ale - y— —— = = ——_———_—_. SINCE the earliest times, the people of southern Asia’s broken coast have been known as : expert builders of boats. The high, narrow lines of Ceylon’s V-shaped craft suggest speed ] af before stability; and it was in these waters that the outrigger was invented, to permit e j , spreading a sail without capsizing. With this primitive but effective safety device, surf Sailing becomes a sport fit for Singhalese princes. O Rs ; tt De EELS SEO saanaiileiaeiiaaiaiiabi e e

COP YRIGHT, 4a | 67

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68 COMPACT WELL DRILLER MADE BY BLIND INVENTOR A well-drilling machine, recently con- structed in a small Kansas town, is note- worthy for several reasons, but its most remarkable Rem feature is that its in- oe <2

~ woe. ood . 2 -2 as ee oe Pore ventor and builder is blind. He has ar- ranged all the machinery inside its tim- ber bed frame, and the frame inside the standards of a common. steel-wheeled wagon, making, with the tower folded down, an extremely compact outfit. A 2%4-hp. gasoline engine does the drilling, and one part of the drill mechanism 1s reported to be distinctly novel and valu- able. The machine has drilled a 6-in. well 70 ft. deep in solid rock in 70 hours, the inventor operating it. GAIN POWER AND NAVIGATION BY DAMMING ST. LAWRENCE Huge dams across the St. Lawrence River at Morrisburg, Ont., and lower points, now under consideration by an in- ternational commission, would supply some 2,000,000 hp. for division between the United States and Canada, and open navigation clear to the head of the Great Lakes. Such a system would make a giant reservoir of Lake Ontario, raising its level about two feet, and opening the new Welland Canal to vessels of deeper draft. Montreal harbor also would be deepened by the rising water, making the entire route from the Atlantic to Duluth available to ocean steamships. Western grain crops could go this way to the sea at much lower freight rates, and ship- ments from the coast inland would find equal advantage. POPULAR MECHANICS CITRUS FRUITS ONCE WASTED BECOME RICH BY-PRODUCTS Thanks to the scientists of the U. S. Bureau of Chemistry, the citrus growers of California and Florida now get $20 to $30 a ton for the cull fruit that in 1914 was wasted, or sold for $5 a ton. At that time, one or two small by-products companies existed in California, but were able to absorb only a small part of the enor- mous annual loss_ in misshapen, bruised, and generally unmarketable fruit. In the past five years, however, the in- dustry has grown re- markably under _ the stimulus of experiment. From lemons once wasted are now made lemon oil, citrate of Novel Drilling Machine and Its Blind Inventor, Who Built It with His lime, and citric acid by Own Hands and Operates It in His Business of Well Drilling: It Is Very Compact, and, with Its 244-Horsepower Engine, Works Rapidly the thousands of tons. Cull grapefruit yields candied peel and excellent juices. Among orange by-products, amounting to 3,000 tons each year, are included candied peel, jellies, marmalade, and marmalade stock. COMBINED BUMPER AND STEP FOR DELIVERY CARS A new combined bumper and step for electric delivery cars is designed to be fastened ahead of the dash when the front wheels of the vehicles are located so far forward as to make impossible the attachment of side steps. Hinges in the center of the dash permit it to be swung open to allow easy entrance. The device is of wood, bound with iron, and pro- tects the machine like an ordinary bumper. —“y ‘

Bumper Step for Electric Delivery Cars: The Dash is Hinged, and can be Swung Open and Locked in That Position ra

- ea ae y Soe aP a ae ern . umnedaties ’ ouine panee

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oA ON a RM Beier) 7 POPULAR MECHANICS 69 The Stately Columns and Capitals of the Lincoln Memorial, Now Nearing Completion in Washington, will Soon be Reflected in a Marble-Bordered Lagoon. From the Foot of the Broad Steps, the Pool will Stretch Eastward for More Than a Third of a Mile. No Fountains will Play in the Main Basin, That the Reflecting Surface Remain Undisturbed as It is Desired “WATER MIRROR” TO REFLECT LINCOLN’S STATUE QO |. of the most important and beauti- ful features of the Lincoln Memorial, approaching completion in Wash- ton, and to pay the cost of which gress has just appropriated $175,000, 1 . huge “water mirror,” or pool, which ll reflect the colossal statue of the incipator forming a part of the me- orial The statue is to be in bronze, ving Lincoln seated, and will be ced in the main pylon of the white- ble temple. From this position he ppear to be gazing eastward, in the rection of the Washington Monument, contemplation tructure. iter mirror will be in the form of ificial lagoon, or marble-bordered in, more than a third of a mile in ngth and 60 ft. wide, and will extend up the very foot df the broad flight ot ps leading to the main platform on hich the statue will stand. About mid- of its length the lagoon will have lateral extensions, each 350 ft. long, forming a sort of cross, while at its rthest end will be a supplementary fountain pool,” 300 by 200 ft. in size. hus it will be seen that there will be very considerable total area of water rface in which will be reflected not only the temple and the statue, but the sur rounding flower beds and trees, and the blue or clouded sky overhead. No foun- tains will play in the main pool, for it ts desired that its reflecting surface remain yf that imposing undisturbed. This is expected to be the case except in very stormy weather. since the marble borders around the pool will afford protection from all ordinary winds. This water mirror, which seems to have been suggested by similar features orna- menting the walks around the famous Taj Mahal mausoleum in India, undoubt- edly will add vastly to the beauty of the Lincoln Memorial and its surrounding PISTOL GRIPS ARE MEMENTOS OF WAR-TIME FRIENDSHIP Prized possession of \merican ex- soldier, lately returned from France, is 1 regulation tomatic pi tol with a beauti- The Two W oden Pieces in the Ur matic Pistol were Carved by an O p of This Auto. Frenchman As a Token of His Friendship for a Young Americar Soldier fully carved hardwood grip \s he dis plays it, he tells of the maker, a loya French veteran of ’70 and a fellow work ; . ae man in an airplane factory. As an ap preciation of his friendship for “l’Amer icain,”’ the old gentleman with patient

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10 POPULAR toil carved these two pieces, both of the same symmetrical design, showing a tra- ditional griffin with batlike wings and forked tail. PERFORM UNUSUAL OPERATIONS ON STORM-DAMAGED TREES Held together by strong iron bolts, and otherwise reinforced, an ancient elm in a Detroit suburb, and a walnut tree on a California ranch, both dam- aged by wind- storms, furnish notable examples of what can be ac- complished by sci- entific treatment. In spite of their patched condition, these specimens we ll | 1ealthy and capa- eee end Bindine xhe ble o! . living in- Shattered Parts with Bolts, definite lV. In the _ "hacen _" — case of the first- named, which is about a century old, the trunk was split into three parts, and the heart badly de- cayed by 20 years of exposure. Tree sur- geons removed the rotten wood and ap- plied a disinfecting mixture to the under- lying surface. Bolts were inserted about 15 in. apart, to bind the sections together, after which a concrete filling was put in place in layers, with sheets of roofing pa- per between to allow the stonelike ma- terial to shift when the tree is swayed by The Trunk of the Walnut Tree at the Left was Torn by the Wind into Four Sections. These were Drawn Together by Block and Tackle, and Wrapped with Burlap and Rope as Shown at the Right a breeze. A coat of coal-tar compound was applied to the exposed concrete. The trunk of the walnut tree was in four sec- MECHANICS tions. Before bolts were inserted, the sections were drawn together by using a tractor to operate a block and tackle. As- phalt paint was employed to cover the bruised parts, and the trunk was wrapped with burlap, secured with ropes. The tre¢ has produced good crops of nuts since the operation, which was performed two years ago. NEW MOTION-PICTURE PRINTER CAN BE USED IN FIELD Machines for making positive prints from negative motion-picture films ar usually rather complicated, be cause of the ne- cessity of extreme accuracy. How- ever, a California inventor has just brought out a printer which weighs but 8 Ib and measures 14 by 11 by 6 in, making it so port able that it can be used readily in the field and operated by hand. If elec- trically driven, a motor of %oo hp. will run it. It is a contact printer with the feature of positive freedom from scratching or marring of film. ENGINEERS MUST REGISTER TO PRACTICE IN .OREGON \fter the first of the year a person who practices any branch of engineering, ex cept military, in the state of Oregon must be examined and registered by the newly created board of engineering CX aminers. proved schools may take the examina tion for a certificate if they have had two yea ‘ Eneginee ring graduates ot ap irs’ experience in engineering work, and have had charge of such work as chief or assistant for at least a year For nongraduates, the requirements are six years of work and one year in r sponsible charge. United States mility: and naval engineers, however, are elig ble to registration without examinatior within one year after their honorabl discharge from service. There is a $10 fee for examination, and a $5 registra tion charge. The act does not apply to architects, assistant engineers, or those temporarily working in the state.

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A HVDROLLLECTIYC ENGINELRING FLAT LV FAP TASMANIA ‘ + whee reer) = ererm wie fi aa es [he Masonry Dam across the Headwaters of the River Shannon, Changing Great Lal Seen Gliste n the Background, into an Immense Reservoir for the Storage of Surplus ate The Power Plant Is Five Miles Down the River By PAUL H. WOODRI ()! ill the technical works of man that flows the river Shannon. Paral signal the march of civilization, thi the lake and the Shannon runs the ri hydroelectric development is the most Ouse—120 ft. above lake level, 1,120 mantic figure. Indeed. it is at once below Shannon level, and only a the pioneer of indus try, and its miles from either. So much engineering most finished achieve §? ment. It had nature accomplished in readiness fo oes into the wilder @ ness the electri a cal pioneers: and thet primeval vith all the idded, to clincl the refinements of the deal a wondert heltered labora- latural res ) and always it ilongside the Ou t break its ow1 just where if Va roughhew its needed as at 1 essive wav against ing basi \l] the obstacles an un- buildet had to do triendly nature can devise. then ' to n nd because nature broke the SI on at the rule for onc and lake yutlet cut i ed engineer herself in ( cross to the laving out of an ideal res 1 ind ! te tor such a project, the ll the macl t ry of VTasmania’s hydro ed by tl electric development is excep- sim] t rent, ho tionally interesting. eve! uit lasmania, island state of the t 1d \ustralian commonwealth, em- et ‘ 1uest ces in its triangular outline ( ulties a than 24,000 — Te mules Oo! Great Lake, the Source ry , were rest and mountain. Disregard- of Power, is Seen to story’s readet re not concer! ig its great mineral riches, it is >&., Located Almost and of ulti hnical achieve . in the Center of the ' ' , | ] most remarkable, from the engi- Island. The Power. ment ith which, perhaps, the neers standpoint. for a central viens Locati mm below are, The dam at the lake ane : wa : ' t is Marked : lake of 50 square miles, on a ents no special peculiarities broad plateau, 3,350 ft. high, with a catch- rock fo ts masonry and the clay ment area of 216 square miles fed by an its bank were quarried on. the | annual rainfall of 35 to 120 inches It is 644 ft. lone and 121% ft. high. 11 Out of the south end of this Great Lake to the top of the spillwav, with ten 10-tt 71

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72 POPULAR MECHANICS big pipe line. For 5,500 ft., fol- lowing the configuration of the land through rough clearings, runs the twin line of 4-ft. wood Stave pipe, the second run just recently installed. Assembled on the ground, of selected Oregon staves, and with four relief valves and a vacuum standpipe, the long wooden tubes have given no trouble whatever. Th final run of 4,300 ft. to the power house is made in pipes of welded 29'4 to 37 in. in diameter, anchored in concrete piers Thereby the descending watet steel, A Pair of Units in the Turbine Room of the Power House: Turbine Gives 4,980 Horsepower, and Two More are About to be Added sluiceways. The canal, however, is inter- esting. -It leaves the river Shannon five miles below the dam, and is itself 3% miles long. In that distance it drops 65 ft., and to check the rush of water a series of drops were built, making mini- ature cascades, 30 in. or less in height. At the end of the canal is the reservoir, with a surface of 340 acres. But kind as nature had been, this provi- dential basin could not be used without improvements. Three low earthen dams were built, from 980 to 1,863 ft. long, 2 ft. to 3 ft. 9 in. high, with provision for added altitude as the future demands. A 30-ft. concrete spillway in the south dam insures against flood damage. Near it is the reinforced-concrete penstock pit, from which the water enters the comes finally to the wheels. They are housed in an unpre tentious structure as yet, of steel framework covered with corru gated iron; but the heavy concrete foun- dation is ready for a more fitting house when there is time for it. Two horizon tal turbines, of 4,980 hp. at 375 r.p.m., are running two three-phase 4,050-kva. gen- erators, and two more units designed for 7,050 kva. are about to be added. The generators deliver current to the trans- formers at 6,600 volts, which is stepped up to 8&,000 volts for transmission. The installation of governing devices for the water wheels, and of electrical and Each “at. The Big Wood-Stave Pipe Line, Four Feet in Diameter and Over a Mile in Length, is Seen in the Left-Hand View. The Farther Pipe Is a Recent Addition. In the Right-Hand Picture, Is the Power House, with the Steel Pipe Line Coming In over the Hill * $

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POPULAR MECHANICS 13 Above Are Views of Two Distributing Substations at the End of the Transmission Line. The One at the Left Is the Main Substation at Hobart, the One at the Right Is at North West Bay, 15 Miles Beyond protective equipment is com- plete. Steel 60-ft. towers carry the heavy copper conductors to the city of Hobart, 62% miles away, and on to North West Bay, 15 miles farther. Here the high voltage is stepped back to 11,000 and 6,600, and then at sub- tations brought down to usable pressures. -It is planned to sur- vuind the whole city and sub- urbs with a huge distributing ring, making service available to ll the industries of the com- unity. Little has been said of the dif- mer ; ; Step-Up Transformers at the Power House, Where the 6,600 ilties of construction, because Voltage of the Generators is Raised to 88,000 for Transmission —_- _ over Long Copper Lines tothe Distributing Sub- stations at Hobart and North West Bay The ‘Tesmesiaaies “Mtie ath they are the common lot of hydroelectric from the Power House to aS we engineers, rhe building of 18 miles of pray Foy. ny Ou a py] 7 42-in. gauge wooden railway through the Steel Towers through the 4) unbroken forest to a road, ind the dis- Brush for 6244 Miles Be ad 43 covery that the road iS a deceptive KN thing of no bottom, doubtless would iA make a good story in itself. It is suf- 77 ficient to say, however. that all these ob- ; A stacles were overco! vithout losing R, KS any equipment, and that n ultimate ee Alb 70,000 to 100,000 hp. has been made avail- A 4 . e343 4 Px \ able in the wildernes I tA tas \ @An extremely durable cloth, recent placed on the market by an [:nglish man- ufacturer as suitable for men’s clothing, is made from short silk fibers, hereto- fore considered almost worthless. \c- cording to the producers, the new fabri can be soid for one-fourth the price of the best wool goods, It is made in seve! colors.

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v4 POPULAR MECHANICS COOL AIR ISSUES FROM WELL IN WESTERN TOWN A strange well that produces cool air when it is not acting as a suction pump serves to ventilate two homes, be- tween which it is Situated, in a western town. Be- einning about 10 o’clock each morning, a strong draft, with a tem- perature of 58 F.. issues from the hole. rhis out- flow continues un- til eight o'clock at night, when the cur- rent is reversed, air being drawn into the haft. Pipes have been laid from the mouth of the well to the various rooms of the residences, and to refrigerators. Th ugh only 15 ft. dee 1) the bore is supposed to tap a cavert in which a subterranean river has its bed. TINY SCALES WEIGH MARK OF PENCIL ON PAPER Shown on its owner's finger tip, the tiny balance in the illustration was con- structed by a jew- eler, not as a me- chanical freak, but for practical use in the watch- repairing busi- ness. To demon- Strate the sensi- tiveness of his creation, he ob- tains a perfeét balance with two bits of tissue paper. Then he removes one and marks it with a pencil. On re- placing the marked piece. the weight of the pencil line is seen to move the pointer through an entire graduation. RETURNED SCIENTIST ADVISES HASTE IN STUDYING PACIFIC “Haste” is the counsel of a geologist who has recently returned from a scien- tific expedition in the Pacific Ocean. He declares that its islands and waters of- fer a fertile and almost virgin field for the investigation of scientists, and of American scientists in particular, for 1 whom Honolulu would be a convenient base. But the work must be done quick- ly, for the white man with his artificial civilization changes everything. Ethno- logically, he absorbs and destroys the aborigines; zoologically and botanically, he offends by exterminating native flora and fauna. This vast Pacific area com- prises roughly one-fifth of the earth’s surface, yet the geologist believes that a comprehensive study can be made in the short span of one generation. SHIELD FOR WELDER’S EYES SUPPORTED BY HARNESS Designed as a more comfortable sub- stitute for the helmet sometimes worn by welders, a new form of eyeshield hangs from metal straps over the wearer's shoul- ders. It is held at any desired angle by a chain around his body. A win- dow of special glass is inserted in a sheet of fiber, with a pane of clear glass in front that can be changed when it becomes eroded by the flving particles. The shield slides in guides for adjustment of position, and allows free cC movemeit of both arms and _ head. ELECTRICAL DANGER SIGNAL FOR RAILROAD CROSSINGS \n effect similar to that produced by a swinging lantern results from the opera- _ tion of a railroad grade - crossing danger signal, now in use on al eastern line. Six electric bulbs, ar- ranged in an 1! verted arc, are mounted in re- flectors con either side of a boat i which is support- ed by a_e metal standard, about 15 ft. high. When a train reaches a point one mil from the location of the device, an elec trical mechanism is set in motion, and the bulbs are flashed in rotation. 7 ROT AEE al A RE

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POPULAR MECHANICS 75 — HT, UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOD BRITISH OFFICERS TRAVELING BY SEA TAKE CARS WITH THEM NAVAL officers have less opportunity than others to use their motor cars, and those of the British na are determined to lose no chance that does occur. Many of their battleships are now engaged in ma the rounds of England’s many seaside resorts, giving time for some very pleasant hours ashore. The off ‘ therefore, have received permission from the naval authorities to take their autos with them. The picture shows a roadster, belonging to one of them, being carried by launch from the wharf to a battleship at Spit- head, where it is to be hoisted aboard. This performance, of course, is repeated at each port. Every time an officer wants to go ashore quite a crew of men are put to work, manning the hoists on ship and wharf and operating the launch assigned to this important duty. ORCI op ts CANNON ON AIRSHIPS ORDERED FROM FRENCH carrving a single large . - . 1 ) _ car, or gondola. Power is supplied to airshiy of this class by two e1 Pilies, mounted upon outrigger brackets on it] 4 ] f ¢]} _ eitnel Si Ol Iie car. In the bow is Cz rried 4 spe cial 75-millimeter gun equipped with an ingenious mechanism for il orbing the T¢ - coil. American Expeditionary 7 is Said to have Can- led, at the Signing of the Armistice, Orders for Many French Military Dirigibles of This Type As the French gov- ernment supplied the \merican Expedition- force with quanti ties of artillery and air- planes, so, it has. re- cently been learned, they were to have fur- - nished many dirigibles 7 for land and sea-patrol work. The ships were to have been of the COPYRIGHT, PRESS MLUSTRATING SERVICE . In Addition to the Usual Machine Guns, the Armament of the Dirigibles nonrigid Zodiac type, Included a 75-Millimeter Gun of the Model Shown. Ships of T! Ty } pe Served Well on Submarine Patrol and would Probably have been Put to This Use by the American Forces about 300 ft. long and

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76 POPULAR MECHANICS SMILING YANKS SIT AT EASE ON EX-KAISER’S THRONE Horror, not to say incredulity, must surely have marked the gloomy features of Germany's former emperor, had he

COPYRIGHT, PRESS PUS. CO. American Doughboys Occupying the Ex-Kaiser’s Throne: In Their Eyes, No Doubt, the Crowning Achievement of the American Expeditionary Forces happened into his ex-royal palace at Posen one day not long ago. For on the late royal throne, made of finely veined and carved marble, with the Prussian emblem in precious stones gleaming overhead, sat two American doughboys, at ease in their field khaki. Their nonchalant air cannot conceal the fact that this was no common adventure, but one to make food for nar- rative through the years. FACING COAL FAMINE FRENCH TRY SUBSTITUTES Confronted by a coal shortage, the French government is lending its aid to many experiments with other sources of industrial power. Tidal motors are being built and studied on the-north coast of Brittany, while economists announce that, by importing 60,000 tons of gasoline each month, this fuel could be burned in the chief water, gas, and power plants of the public service. Coal moistened with naphtha will probably find some favor, too, the solid being used primarily as a holding element for the liquid, which otherwise could not be handled in the usual fire box. STUDY INFLUENCE OF RADIUM ON CASES OF CATARACT The success of radium therapy in a number -of maladies has suggested the possibilitv of some effect from its appli- cation to cataract, most stubborn of dis- eases. Two New York physicians have completed a cautious study -of 24 cases Which they treated with radium, keep- ing a thorough record of progress. It is encouraging to note that 21 of these cases, 87.5 per cent of the total, showed some degree of improvement during treatment. In 12 cases opacity was di minished and vision improved, while other patients benefited only in one ort the other of these particulars. The treat ments were continued for from. thre months to a year, and. consisted of ap plications, at about .8 in. from the closed eyelid, of radium surrounded by _ brass photographic paper, and gauze, to filter out the irritating soft rays. With this arrangement, careful examination failed to reveal evidence of harmful effect o1 the eye structure. The investigators urge that further observations be made. FOREST RANGERS KEEP WATER IN HUGE HOLLOW LOGS When the last dry season threatened to deprive the west-coast forest ranger of their water supply, no means of col structing a cistern were available, - and a water famine seemed imminent. As a last resort, the insides were hewn fron three great logs, and the hollow timbers mounted on a frame alongside the cabin. The improvised tanks held an ample sup ply, and proved wholly satisfactory.

The Three Logs Supported at the Right of the Ranger’s Cabin Are Hollow, and Hold Water for the Dry Season

men sania <a =

ean eet

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POPULAR MECHANICS ~? ~

~ ae <- + eee.” — =

A 55-Ton Dragline Excavator Crossing the Rio Grande.. As No Heavy Bridges Were Available, the Machine Rolled Itself Across with Its Own Power. Heavy Timber ‘“‘Mats,”’ Bound with Cable, Gave a Footing on the Soft Bed of the River DRAGLINE EXCAVATOR CROSSES DUAL TIRES FOR TRUCKS NOW RIO GRANDE UNDER OWN POWER HAVE NONSKID APPLIANCE

The “seagoing hack” of popular myth- Those big solid-rubber tires with dou- ; ology had its counterpart in fact not ble tread for the rear wheels of motor long ago, when a great dragline exca- trucks, now are provided with a special vator crossed the Rio Grande under its nonskid appliance of their own. It cor } own power. Although the big machine _ sists of a heavy chain which encirck moves on broad endless treads, the fiver the groove between the two treads of th bed was so soft at the point of crossing tire, and which has iron crossbars at it that heavy “mats” were made of timbers tervals. whose round ends rest on th bound with cables. As the excavator faces of the tire. The crossbars have crawled along, these mats were picked diagonal movement which effectu up and lowered before it. The equip- prevents skidding, and the creeping ment is tke property of the U. S. Recla- the chain in the groove reduces we mation Service, and was sent across the The chain is tightened with a _ tur river in this way because of the absence buckle The device is made in standard of heavy bridges. sizes for all trucks. CHARCOAL FROM MILL WASTE BY DISTILLATION PROCESS Mill waste is carbonized and turned in- to good, dense charcoal in six hours by a new process, the economy of which has been demonstrated recently. A_ closed air-circulating system includes a fan, a stove for heating the air pipes, a con

denser and an electrical precipitation unit for extracting the liquid hydrocarbons si and a brick-lined retort, 14 ft. high and ; 3% ft. in diameter, in which the waste material is placed. As it is gradually car- bonized, the circulating air becomes 7 charged with gases, which lend their aid ; to the process. The temperature remains A®tiskid Chain for Double Truck Tires: The Ch: ‘ “ae ests between the Tire Treads, and the r comparatively low. Iron Shoes Lie across Them :

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78 PUBLIC-PARK BOAT LANDINGS BLEND WITH SCENERY Without marring the natural beauty of small several lakes in a San Francisco POPULAR MECHANICS COLLEGE AND FACTORY JOIN TO TEACH ENGINEERING Of great practical importance is a new course in electrical engineering made pos- sible by the cooperation Nature Laid the Foundation of This Novel Boat Landing, One of Several in a San Francisco Park, and Man Completed Concrete. The Result Is Both public park, practical boat landings of an unusual sort were constructed along their shores under the direction of municipal officials. Small rocky capes projecting into the water were used as foundations. Level concrete walks were built on top of these, and in cases where the stones were too widely separated, the same ma- terial was molded into artificial bowlders, which were placed in the _ interstices. Boats can be fastened to the sides of the landings by tying them to steel rings set in the concrete. PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECT FOUND IN EARTH’S MAGNETISM Knowing smiles generally greet any statement that better, or worse, with the head toward some partic- ular point of the Yet even this supposed superstition may be founded on scientific fact; for a French physician finds now one sleeps compass. that certain reflexes in the hu- man body, and the effects of percussion on some organs, are markedly stronger when the patient faces west. Phat.the earth’s magnetism has a definite physio- logical effect appears to be verified by other scientific observations. @ Previously sold only to banks and other business concerns employing messengers for the dispatch of valuables, “hold-up” insurance is now offered by several com- panies to the general public. Practical and Beautiful of a large eastern uni- versity and one of the great electrical manu- facturing establishments. Five years are required to complete the study. The first two years are similar in arrangement to the present course but the next two are al tered to allow a con siderable amount of work at the factory, where about half the student’s time will be spent. The last year is practically of a post the Task with graduate nature, de voted to research, de sign, project, and administration. The ob- ject is to fit graduates for positions as managers and superintendents. . The de- gree of master of science is conferred on graduation. FARMER PICKS UP POTATOES WITH WOODEN TONGS Daylong stooping and nightlong back- ache are largely eliminated from potato harvesting by use of the little farm implement _ illus- trated. Closer in- spection shows it to be wooden tongs, with arms held apart by a weak coil spring. The lower end of each arm is split and backed with straps, to provide a socket in which the potato is grasped and, con- veyed to. the basket. @Use of 20 air- planes to “shoo” wild ducks away from the rice fields of the Pacific coast, is a° project seriously con- templated by the growers’ association of that region.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 79 as + A (eat _ COPYRIGHT, INTERNATIONAL FILM SERVICE German Automobile, Designed in the Form of a Whale, Exhibited at the Leipzig Fair: It will be Seen That the Body, for All Its Realistic Shape, is Mounted on a Chassis of Standard Form GROTESQUE GERMAN DESIGN MAKES AUTO LIKE WHALE German fondness for grotesquery, usually held within limits, often finds extreme expression at exhibition times. One of the features of Leipzig’s fall fair last year was an auto designed to resem- whale, and the builders achieved a work of considerable realism. The = ble a driver of the queer car, emulating Jonah, looks out from between the opened jaws of the counterfeit cetacean. HOUSEFLY ON LOAF OF BREAD ADVERTISES BAKERY \lmost startling to the professional ad vertiser in its defiance of advertising theory is a large electric sign that bears the name of a bakery company. Play- ing on the last syllable of his name, the former owner, in designing the sigi placed a large housefly on top loaf of bread, and caused the whok to be illuminated at night by scores of electric bulbs. Criticism was general at first, as was probably expected, but the baker knew it was good advertis- ing; and so the sign remains. WORKERS TIED WITH ROPES TO MINE’S STEEP SIDES The occupation of the is always a the surface, as “milling” ore is perhaps least familiar of all This is the system used where the ore ts soft enough to be dislodged by hand labor, and to fall to the bottom of the “mill hole,” a steep-sided, coni- cal pit with a tun- nel or drift at the bottom. worker man on known mine strange one to the and the operation iron The min- ers work aroul 1 the sides o the hole, breaking off fragment which drop inté car©rs in the drift below lo guard against slipping, they are tied to the bank | short rope 1 thei S \ lo rope suspended trom the top, enable them, at quitting time, to walk calm » the almost vertical surface and over

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KO PRESS FOR SORGHUM MOLASSES MADE FROM OLD WRINGER \fter growing a fine patch of sorghum cane near his home, an Ohio suburban- ite found he could not get it to any mill, POPULAR MECHANICS ANCHOR SHIFTING SAND DUNES WITH TREES AND GRASS In the winter gales that sweep down the Massachusetts coast, the sand dunes of the Cape Cod region shift about with lit tle regard tor either geo graphical lines or the works of man. It is the unremitting task of the state foresters to strengthen these fickle ramparts against the sea’s invasions, TFlardy native grasses, or such tenacious foreigners as Scotch broom, are planted in a veritable carpet over the inconstant mounds When they have taken root, young pines, either the Norway or a local species, are set into the loose soil: but first they are grown to a height of some six inches in good turf, and a generous Homemade Sorghum-Molasses Press: The Cane is Crushed by the Big Quantity of it is trans Rollers at the Left, and the Pulp Then Run through the Old Clothes Wringer at the Right and would have to work it himself or waste it. So he made a mill of his own, using a few planks, a pair of four-inch rollers with two handles, and an old clothes wringer. With two galvanized tubs to catch the juice, the cane stalks were passed first through the wood rollers. Then the crushed pulp was put through the wringer. As a result, after cooking the juice in a wash boiler, the ingenious cane grower realized 12 gal. of sorghum molasses. ELECTRIC SOLDERING IRON FOR AUTOMOBILE OWNER An: electric soldering iron may now be had in such simple form that it particu- larly appeals to ae “47 automobile ow n- J ers. The iron prop a er is surrounded by a coil grip that safeguards the hand of the user. & Several vards of wire, with attach- ment, permit cur- rent to be drawn from any convenient source. The iron is hot, of course, a few minutes after the current is turned on, and stays hot until the job is finished. planted with them. Four vears or so, if fire does not destroy the work, find the dunes firmly knit together, and cured of their wanderlust. AIR PHOTOGRAPHS HAVE POWER TO FIND LOST CITIES The remarkable discovery, through the medium of lines on an aerial photograph, of a lost city buried near Samaria, in the valley of the Tigris River, suggests a vast field of exploration for the airplane cam- era. Though its population must have been enormous, no trace of the ancient Turkish city’s walls and gardens is visible to an observer on the ground. Archzolo- cists know the advantage of even a slight elevation in tracing the faint indices of an obliterated civilization, wholly con- cealed at their own level by the over- srowth of vegetation. These phantoms of the past, however, readily record their outlines on the photographic emulsion. € Japan 1s about to enter upon an ambi- tious naval construction program. Within the next eight vears four 40,000-ton battle- ships, four battle cruisers, 20 light cruisers, 80 destrovers, 70 submarines, and 30 other ships are to be built at a cost of eight hundred and twenty-four million dollars.

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‘ Set ——— ~ POPULAR MECHANICS 81 In These Big Semiportal-Type Cranes, the Single Leg of the Bridge Runs on a Rail on the Wharf, While Another Rail, Supported by Brackets on the Building, Accommodates the Tru KS Ot the Inner End. The Operating Cab Rotates on the Bridge FOUR BIG CRANES INSTALLED AT ARMY SUPPLY BASE yur big hoist cranes of unusual tyy have just been installed on the docks ot he U. S. Army supply base at Boston. he re of semiportal bridge form, the ingle leg of the bridge running on a 1 along the wharf, while another rail, sunted on brackets on the side of the wharf shed. supports the other end of | lve The carriage turns on a cir- cular track on the bridge, with a hollow ] ot through which the electrical con- ductors enter the cab. rhe whole crane may thus be moved along the wharf, the cab m be rotated, or a straight hoist iav be made with either the boom or the cable The crane will handle 5,000 Ib. 1 52-ft. radius, with an overload ca- F 8.000 lb... at a speed of ZO it. a minute LOOSE SCREW JAMS LOCKING GEAR IN CITY SAFE It was only a little screw in a safe be- longing to the city treasurer of Cincin- nati; but when it worked loose at quitting time on a recent Thursday evening it wedged itself into a most strategic posi- tion. On Friday morning the paymaster asked for the $25,000 with which to pay off hundreds of city emnlove many of them already in line for their money. But lemurred: and the safe stay the screw ' ) rv amateur ‘ shut. By Friday aiternoon eve safe cracker in the oflice had tried and failed to open it. In despair, the com while deal This Safe, When a Small Screw Jarred Loose and Jammed the Locking Mechanism Days of Effort were Required for the Opening 9!

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82 POPULAR MECHANICS mand was given to drill it open. A crew of four experts from the safe com- pany worked Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday—and on Tuesday morning finally moved the bars and swung the aoor. @ERMAN SOLDIER TAKES HIGH DIVE IN MARCHING EQUIPMENT On a program of drills and sports re- cently given by the German soldiery at COPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOO & UNDERWOOD This Daring High Dive by a Soldier in Full March-~ ing Equipment Was the Most Thrilling Feature of a Recent Field Day, Heid in the Stadium at Berlin, Germany the Stadium in Berlin, was one item that stood out above the others, though many required no little daring and _ skill. Dressed in full marching equipment, with heavy pack on his back, hobnailed shoes on his feet, and bayoneted rifle in his hands, a soldier climbed slowly up, and up, to the high-dive platform, a good 50 ft. above the swimming pool. While the crowd held its breath, he leaped feet first, sank far beneath the surface, but finally rose, gained the side, and was pulled from the water. POSTCARDS FIX AUTO TIRE IN SERBIAN WILDS Common things often find strange uses in emergency, but it remained for a Serbiax Red Cross chauffeur to repair an auto with a pack of souvenir postcards On an almost impassable mountain road between Mitrovitza and Kralievo, 300 miles from a repair shop and 60 from a telegraph office, an old inner tube, cov- ered with patches and old leather and sacking, finally gave out altogether. The cards, left in the car by accident, were inserted between the tube and the casing, and saved the day. EXPRESS CAR FOR PASSENGER OR FREIGHT-TRAIN USE The shortage of express facilities has been much relieved by the introduction . of a new type of express car by an east- ern railroad. The design enables the car to be used in either freight or passen- ger trains without incongruous effect. Though of general box-car shape, it has doors at the ends and two at each sid is of steel construction, and is ventilated, heated, and electric-lighted. It is 50 ft. 634 in. long inside, with a capacity of 70,000 1b., and is adaptable to parcel post, mail storage, or baggage use. Steel Express Car of Box-Car Shape, A “a for Use in Either Freight or Passenger Trains: Six Doors, a Ventilating System, and is eated and Electric-Lighted. It Has Its Capacity Is 70,000 Pounds

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eee ae Pe Rap BOS se |, Te — The Declaration Chamber of Inde- pendence Hall, Restored by Modern Craftsmen to Its Original Condition: The Large Painting at the Left Is of Washington, by Peale e) Set * THE REJUVENATION OF INDEPENDENCE HALL RIC a*s A» Ie 4 most famous ‘torical monu-e- ments, Independ- ence Hall and { ongress Hall, are oung again. Pains- treatment by specialists in archi- tectural and struc- tural infirmity has enal led Philadei- phia’s ancient meeting houses to off the welgnt ot yea;rs, nd reappear in not only the habiliments but the restored trength of youth. \nd with such reverent regard for the details of sacred sentiment has the work been done, that only in the elements of es- sential soundness have the old build- throw By JOHN F. McCLARREN z ay, Grand Stairway from the Lobby of the Hall to the Second Floor: The Small Stair at the Right Above Leads to the Balcony, and into the Belfry Where the Liberty Bell Originally Hung study ot th nid records d sc we 1 e ’ the kind of sh

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Restored Room of the First United States Supreme Court: The Stairs Lead to the Judges’ Chambers / The Cobblestone Drive. 4 way, Back to Its Orig- | inal Condition, Still Bordered by Colonial | Poles and Chains on | the Coping of the Walls f The Liberty Bell Itself—about the Only Thing in Independence Hall That was Not Restored: The \ Old Crack Is Still There aa ete ore Fen ee fier 664 7 — ~ Colonial Street Lamp cf Revolutionary Days, Which, Repair- ed and Made New, Still Does Duty out- side the Ancient Hall Independence Hall Restored: Not a Detail of Its Con- ’) struction has been Overlooked in the Work of Rejuvenating the Old Structure, Which, Inside and Out, has Simply been Strengthened and "~~ without being Modern- ized. Even the Shingles, Are oat Like Those Put On riginally . Kael __y,t

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wat Rostrum in the Old Senate Chamber | in Congress Hall: The Emblematic Eagle at the Top of the Picture is Painted on the Ceiling of the Room % at __»7t

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| Congress Hall, Which Shared in the Restoration Work Done on Its Neighbor, Independence Hall, was Just as Carefully Preserved in Its Original State c ff

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se ne hy First Floor of Congress Hall, Used by the House from 1790 to a *. | 1800: The Gallery at the Rear | 4 ’ Holds the Original Thirteen | ! State Flags } icgrenn Sores > « Old Senate Committee Room on the Second Floor of Congress Hall: The Pastels on the Wall and the Furniture Are of the Revolu- tionary Period

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86 originally used, and enabled the selection of their exact counterparts. And _ so throughout the buildings. Not a nook or corner, a window frame or sash. a door- Way or stair, but has been faithfully re- turned to its initial form. The exterior appointments have re- ceived attention no less careful than that bestowed upon the interior. The old- fashioned lamps which originally fur- nished illumination about the structures are again in their places and the old cob- blestone driveway, with its side poles and chain, is ready for further service. The restoration of the driveway, over which passe d the con, evances Of sO Many celeb- rities of the time, is especially well done. While Independence Hall abounds in beautiful examples of colonial design and rchitecture, there are specimens in Con- gress Hall that many consider even more attractive. The great doors, with their old-fashioned locks and_ great, long hinges, opening into the hallway from which leads a colonial stairway of the first type, are features of the restoration. It was in Congress Hall that congress sat from 1790 to 1800, and there President Washington was inaugurated for his sec- ond term of office. The original construc- IN ALMOND PASTE A life-size bust of President Wilson and a replica of a book containing the Using Almond Paste as His Medium, This Employe of a Catering Company Modeled the Bust of Wilson , and the Book Containing the ‘Fourteen Points’ well-known “Fourteen Points” are the recent creations of an employe in a cater- POPULAR MECHANICS tion of the galleries and rostrums in the senate chamber and in the “house” has heen very well brought out in the restora- tion. Of course, Independence Hall came in- to existence without any thought of the part it was destined to play in the birth of the nation. . Necessity really created it. It appears, from documents well authen- ticated, that the Provincial Assembly of Pennsylvania had been meeting in a house, annually rented in Philadelphia, until May 1, 1729. It was shortly after this date that the assembly voted £2,000 toward the purchase of ground for the building and its construction. It was designed by Andrew Hamilton, a barrister of Phila delphia, who, in making his plans, pro- vided for two wings, one of them Congress Hall. In 1732 ground for the building was broken, but the construction dragged on for some years before the work was finished, although certain rooms were used for some years before the whole was completed. Construction of Congress: Hall began in 1787, and was completed in 1789, and the remaining wing of Independence Hall, known as “City Hall,” was started in -1789 and finished in 1791, ing establishment. Almond paste is the material used, and with a success that is evidenced by the photograph. Both have been presented to the president. ELECTRIC-SHOCK PHYSIOLOGY BETTER KNOWN SINCE WAR Study of cases of electric shock caused by contact with the 1,000-volt wires used in war defenses has brought some curi- ous facts to light. It is found that the men were little harmed by shocks they expected, but surprise shocks frequently were fatal. Subsequent experiments with animals proved the soundness of this con- clusion. In many instances, however, the victim is only apparently dead, and may be resuscitated by prompt use of artificial respiration. RIGID CHAIN TREAD SUPPORTS TRACTOR WITHOUT IDLERS An endless-tread chain for tractors, so rigid that it supports the machine with- out any idler wheels between the front and rear sprockets, has just been brought out by a California manufacturer. The chain is so designed that its heavy links

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POPULAR MECHANICS 87 The Rigid Tread Chain, Sustained by Its Interlocking Links, Stands Alone and cannot be Collapsed In Surmounting a Ridge of Land, e Whole Weight of the Trac- r is Carried by the Unsup- rted Central Part of the Heavy Chain Tread rlock, with all pres- re and pivot surfaces ceptionally large, and h flexing movement ble only within the ts needed for encir- tne wheels. lhe le weight of the ris @a stly SUDp- bv the free inter- Broadside View, Showing That No Idler Sprockets are Used, the Chain ’ ‘ : Tread Contacting with the Ground at All Points mediate portion of the in, and the inventor claims the upper scraping system. Projecting horizontally face, without supports, would withstand over the edge of the fill were placed two downwarc pressure of 20 tons. A uni- long iron rails which supported a singk form distribution of the tractor load is pulley block at their outer end. Through of the advantages of the new tread. the block he passed a rope, one end of which was attached to a scraper, the RAILS, PULLEY, AND SCRAPER other to the doubletree of a team. Then REPLACE SHOVELERS as each wagon dumped its load, the scraper was moved by the team, and making a dirt fill not long ago,acon- guided by a laborer into the load and ctor was able to do without the crew over the rails, the loose earth falling be- hovelers usually employed, by sub- tween them. The rails are easily moved tituting for them a rather ingenious s the filling progress long the hill. \ ’ By Using This Combination of Steel Rails, Pulley, and Scraper, a Contractor Was ‘Able to Make This Fill Quickly. At the Left the Wooden Scraper has been Guided into a Freshly Dumped Load of Loose Eart! At the Right, the Team has Drawn the Scraper toward the Pulley, Causing the Load to Fall between the Rails

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88 POPULAR PORTABLE ELECTRIC BLOWEK COOLS UNDERGROUND WIRES When electric wires in underground conduits become even slightly heated, they are in danger, because the heat can- not escape and is likely to in- crease. A service company in a large Michi gan city has a _ portable blowing outfit for such occasions, Portable Electric Blower for Cooling Underground Wires: The Vent Pipe is Sealed into a Man- hole, and Air Pumped through consisting of a 28-in. fan and a 714-hp. motor housed in a little cabin on a steel trailer. When the conduit temperature anywhere reaches 150°, the pipe of the blower is sealed into a manhole opening at one end of the heated section, and a venti- lating cover put on a manhole at the other end, and the wires are soon cooled. MECHANICS STONES GATHERED FROM OCEAN BOTTOM BY DANISH BOATS Operating off the coasts of Denmark and Sweden is a unique fleet of motor- boats and sailing vessels, equipped for gathering stones from the bottom of th: ocean to supply the first-named country with material for building harbor works. lach craft carries a diving outfit and a derrick for lifting the rocks on board Bowlders weighing as much as eight tons are brought to the surface by the hoist ing apparatus. Divers locate the stones and attach them to the derrick cable. Re- cently the boats have been forced to work in deep water at a considerable dis tance from shore, because the supply of stones in shallower water has been ex- hausted. QUICKSANDS HAMPER BUILDING OF MASSACHUSETTS BRIDGE Handsome as ‘it is, there is general agreement that the new bridge over the Fore River between Weymouth and East braintree, Mass., has cost more .than i should, and that nature played a trick on the builders. Construction was started two vears ago’on a bridge of steel, cement, and granite, 200 ft. long and 50 ft. wide, with a 50-ft. draw. When the piers were sunk, however, they continued sinking, and dis appeared from sight. So much time and money were consumed before the bottom of the quicksand finally was reached that one contractor and another dropped out, and the third is just finishing the job. The bridge is southern Massachusetts’ di- rect route to Boston, but a temporary foot bridge has had to carry all the re- sponsibility during construction. At the South Entrance, in the Left View, a Scow and Derrick are Seen Laying Girders for the New Bridge. The Right View Is of the North Entrance, Where the Cement, Stone, and Steel are being Put Together. It Is Here That the Quicksand Trouble Occurred ee ed

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Jere. POPULAR MECHANICS 89

2 TEA PARTY INTERRUPTED BY RUNAWAY STREET CAR A TEA party in Tulsa, Okla., was rudely interrupted not long ago, when a runaway interurban car left the track, tore over sidewalk and lawn, and buried itself in the dining-room window. Not a tea drinker was njured; and, stranger still, a young man asleep in the room above, slept on. Thus the incident ended as comedy, though the stage was set for tragedy. At the top of a hill, four blocks away, when the air brakes failed, passengers and crew had saved themselves by jumping. The deserted car transformed itself into a 30- ton projectile, roared past a group of waiting ‘‘fares,’’ missed several autos by a hair's breadth, and shot angentially from the right-angled turn at the bottom, with the results described. BUCKET WITH BOTTOM DOOR side, into a chute projecting from a win SPEEDS CONCRETE WORK ee ee See Se ee ee nee the cap to the end o the chute befor: Handling of concrete, both in build- the door opens. The door mechani ng construction and pile making, is is so de hat it will not clog « greatly facilitated and reduced in cost — stick, and eve: cold weather the bu yy new forms of hoist- ,. Slee me | - ! ' ng buckets that dumy 4S KN hrough a door in the ——4@ as ottom. In pile-driving “2/22.+/5S% | | 1 1 ? ( 7 — ork, a bucket, 36 1n. WAN. — gh and 30 in. square Ww Sasier charging 3%, ecu. vd. of Makes Piling ork Easie concrete. In building work, the bucket ets may be kept filled with little danger is shaped to dump its contents to one of freezing.

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90 POPULAR MECHANICS WALLS EVENLY WATERPROOFED WITH PNEUMATIC SPRAY To waterproof structural iron, ware- house walls, and similar large surtaces, a pneumatic paint-spraying outfit will 4 cic clao This ley re. A Large Brick School Building is Here being Coated with a Waterproofing paspectinge: «2 | 1 ] wage Bes Compound. Air from the Portable Compressor at the Right Mingles with moves the sulphur tron the Compound from the Suspended Pails to Produce a Spray That Pene- the iron. and a process trates into Every Hole and Crevice : Fy has been te¢ ] ror ex- eventually pay for itself in paint and wages saved. The pasty waterproofing compound is suspended in a pail above the surface to be Spt ved, and le ad through a hose to the air gun. Air from a portable compressor is likewise led to the gun, sult that e\ with the ry particle of the r¢ ec compound is thoroughly atomized. The coating is uniform and penetrates into every hole and crevice. To insure re gular flow from the pail, it is maintained by a rope and pulley at a constant height above the work. PROPOSES USE OF TRACTORS TO CLEAR ROADS OF SNOW The increasing importance of motor- truck transportation makes valuable any practical suggestion for keeping the highways open in winter. A French tank officer has proposed the use of crawl-tread tractors for hauling snowplows, their im- mense power making their effectiveness certain. A special form of tread would probably be necessary, and it might be desirable to push the plow instead of pulling it. SYNTHETIC CAST IRON MADE FROM STEEL TURNINGS Synthetic cast iron was manufactured in France on so large a scale as a wart product that efforts are now being made to place the process on a commercial basis. Econ- omy of production is the chiet consideration, as the steel ‘turnings, and similar scrap from which the metal is produce d have little value for other purposes. The turnings are mixed witl carbon in an electric fur- nace, and cementation begins in the upper part of the charge at about 1,200° F. At fusion, the metal is completely car- burized. and is cast at Z190° t0 Z2af0° FF, -The furnace takes large cur- rents at lower voltages than usual, and the re- sistance of the charge increased by introducing tracting the phosphorus, making a metal - t of great purity, whose composition is ac- curately controlled by the mixture. The use otf hvdroelectric power for th maces 1s thought to olve the eco mi problem. WEIGHTS ON CATTLE HORNS TO CHANGE THEIR SHAPE An English inventor undertakes change the shape of the horns of c by hanging weights on then while they are srowing. The veights are pear tapered hole lengthwise to fit the horn, and are held in place by setscrews. Heav- ier weights are used as the horns grow larger. Their shape prevents t cattle from scraping them off against tree or fences.

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Oe ec POPULAR MECHANICS v1 CAMEL TEAM AND AUTO SERVE AUSTRALIAN TOWN Tibooburra in Panorama: Farthest Inland of All Towns in New South Wales, Australia, and 210 Miles by Road from the Nearest Railway, at Broken Hill. It Is an Old Mining Center, and Surrounded by Good Grazing Country is One Way of Transporting Merchandise over the 210-Mile Route from Broken Hill to Tibooburra Is by Camel Train like That Above. At the Right Is the Mail Car, Which Makes Two Trips a Week. Son rhe Hill of Drifted Sand, Almost Perpendicular % | ward the Prevailing Winds, Is a Feature of the re | Local Landscapes } 4, —E— — —— ee s§ Much Wool is Raised around Tibooburra, and the Way the Growers Send It to Market Is by Mear f Huge Wagons Drawn by Oxen. There Are 18 of the Animals in the Team Seen Cor g into the ‘oreground, on Their Way to Broken Hill, the Nearest Trading Center Australia’s big cities and active indus- South Walk is 210 1 I Broke tries make it difficult to realize that the Hill, the nearest railroad point. The m island continent is settled only on its comes in twice a week, by motor car, ove! outer fringe, and the interior is still un- roads banked by drifted sand hills, whet conquered wilderness. Some of the min- the annual rainfall is only 3 to 8 in. Camel ing settlements, however, are quite a ways teams furnish the only freight service, and inland. The town of Tibooburra, for ex- woo! grown in the district is transported ample, in the northwest corner of New’ to market on big oxen-drawn wagons.

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Hv FLAG RESCUED FROM SWAYING POLE BY DARING CLIMBER For two days a needlelike steel flag- pole outside a large manufacturing plant vanquished workman who at- tempted to climb it in order to re- every lease the rope which had b« en fouled in the pulley. Without exception the climbers started confidently at t.ie The Boy Who Rescued the Flag is Sitting on Top of the Cabin at the base ing of the Steel Flagpole, Which He has Just Descended, as Seen in the Left- At the Right He is Delivering the Flag and Accepting the Hand Picture Five Dollar Reward POPULAR MECHANICS bottom, where the pole is 6 in. wide: but every man turned back on nearing the top where it narrows to 14 in. One of the men finally wagered five dollars that the feat was impossible. Hearing this, a lad in the crowd took off his shoes and started up. The slender pole. swayed sickeningly at the top of his ascent, but he kept on and reached his goal. PROBLEMS OF RECONSTRUCTION STUDIED IN MOVIE FILMS To vive the people of New York State full comprehension of the problems of reconstruction, motion pictures on vital topics are being exhibited by a state commission in com- munities of all si A motor-truck theate: makes the campaign 11 depe ndent of local cond tions and tacilities Problems of fre ight traf- fic, public health, Ameri- canization employment and housing are among those pictorially consid ered by the traveling show. A powerful tall machine, . r ) - ] range of 200 vd., is used to present with a speeches. BUILD ENORMOUS COFFERDAM FOR CHICAGO BRIDGE Setting the big concrete pits for il the double-decked bascule bridge that is Chicago's new boulevard Soon to ‘grace link necessitated the construction ‘of two colossal cofferdams in the Chicago River. The one at the north bridgehead. in wa- —______.._ ter 22 ft. deep, measured 105 by 75 ft. inside the walls, with its base 341!%4 ft. below water level The outer wall was made of wood sheeting, 32 ft deep, on 45-ft. piling, the inner wall being of steel Huge Cofferdam at the North Pier of Chicago’s New Boulevard Bridge: The Inner Wall Is of Steel Sheeting; the Outer, of Piling Filled with Clay sheeting, 45 ft dee p Five huge sets of braces a little smaller than the inside of the cofferdam were sunk in place be fore the water was pumped out. When the wall space was built up with clay, the sheet steel was forced inward so that a tight joint with the bracing was formed. eae

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Aa Ae we I Sper ire ones a EE Re, Tote - ee SIMPLE TESTS WEED UNFIT FROM BRITISH AIR SERVICE The Interesting Instruments Illustrated on This Page are All Used by the Medical Staff of the British Air Service in Testing Airmen for Flying Fitness, with Emphasis on the Condition of Lungs, Eyes, and Nerves. The Simple, Mercury-Filled U-Tube Above Serves Several Pur- poses. Blowing Up and Hold- ing the Mercury Column as High as Possible, the Airman Reveals to the Examiner Not Only His Resolution, or Pluck, but His Nervous Sta- bility, the Tone of the Abdom- inal. Wall, and His Ability to Resist Fatigue. The Med- ical Officer Tabulates Each Result The Little Disk on the Pendulum Above Pendulum Falls, Bearing with It a Strong String Stretched from Disk to Pivot, the Disk Changes Color Instant He Observes the Color Change, the Subject Presses the Key, Thus Arresting the String, and Register His Quickness of Coédrdination between Perception and Action PYRIGHT, CLARKE AND HYDE These Lower Photographs Illustrate a Test the Opal Plate at the Left. Which are Seen near the Examiner's Right ulates a 20-Foot String Untii He Believes the Pins to Be in Line. Ability to Land an Airplane Accurately The Conditions Indicated by the More Complicated Appa- ratus Above are Linked with Those Revealed by the Simpler Tube on the Left. Like the Latter, It Is Valuable in Detecting the Respiratory Fatigue Which So Quickly Overtakes Defective Lungs at High Altitudes. It Goes Further, However,in Record- ing the Lung Capacity against Resistance. One Other Test, Not Illustrated, is Made wit! a Modified Gas Meter for the Purpose of Measuring Simple Lung Capacity Both This and the Two Tests Above Bear Witness to the Impor- tance Attached to Healthy Respiratory Equipment Horizontal Time Scale. When the At the ee for Judgment of Distance, Carried Out in a Room Lighted Only by This Plate Silhouettes the Three Upright Pins, Two Fixed, and One Movable, Peering through the Horizontal Slit, the Airman Manip- Accuracy in This Test Implies an 43

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By ROBERT Pp RACTICALLY all of Oregon east of the Cascades is es a live-stock country, the principal features of ranch operations being dairying, sheep raising, sentially and beef production. Feed for the live stock is the biggest problem in the way NO SULPHUR 7 iaiies SULPHURED i The Scales Ruled on the Signposts, the Figures Signi- Feet, Indicate the Superior Sulphured Alfalfa, as Compared with Growth of the That Not So fying Treated of increased production, and every ton of I is which can be raised is i potent fac- tor in bringing prosperity. When ranch- ers in several districts in eastern and cen- tral Oregon found that one:dollar ex- pended for sulphur and applied to alfalfa land was returnit ig S20 in increased vield, they jumped right into the saddle, and re now using it by the carload. While sulphur has been used to a cer- tain extent as a spray in combating insect pests in fruit farming, its value as a fer- tilizer has been practically unknown un- til quite recently. The figures indicated above are not derived from experimental tests, but were obtained under thoroughly practical conditions Deschutes County on 250 irrigated alfalfa ranches Here, the sulphur was applied at the rate of LOO Ib. to the acre, and the results were checked by the farmers in cooperation with the state college agricultural-exten- sion workers. The 1919 crop of alfalfa from 3,000 acres so treated indicates that 3,000 additio1 | ons of hay were har- vested, which, at the central Oregon price of $20 a ton, means $60,000 in additional wealth. In no case did the original cost of the sulphur, and the expense of haul- ing and application, exceed three dollars. For the past two years, the Oregon ex- periment station has been testing the effects of various fertilizers, and, follow- ing the discovery, a year or so ago, that sulphur on certain soils would increase the yield of alfalfa from 10 to 100 per 94 4 he 4 SULPHUR AS A FERTILIZER MOULTON cent, very careful attention has been given to this element. . The first test was made during the summer of 1918, a 10-Ib. sample of sulphur being applied to approximately one-tenth of an acre, when the second cutting was about 8 in. high. The result of such a limited experiment; could, of course, not be considered conclusive, but there was a decided improvement in the height and color of the alfalfa on the sulphured area. Later, an entire field, with the exception of a check plot for obtaining a comparison, was treated with flowers of sulphur, 500 lb. being used at the rate of 100 lb. to the acre. Owing to a drought during the late summer, only meager results could be noticed, but in the spring of 1919 the difference in growth in the sulphured and unsulphured plots at once became apparent, and dur- ing the past the difference ha been very pronounced he season first cutting of that season was carefully weighed and checked by field agents of the Oregon experiment station and disclosed the tact that the sulphured area yielded 7.430 Ib. to the acre, 2,555 Ib more than the untreated plot, and the second cutting showed 1,900 lb. in tavor of the sulphured area, making the total additional yield 4,455 Ib., or, in this in- stance, approximately two tons more per i acre. On one ranch, in Klamath County, simi- lar results were obset ed, although het owing to adverse weather conditions an | early cutting of the second crop, the verage vield of treated land amounted to only one 7 surpius The Scissors-and-Beam Method Used in Weighing the Crop in the Field for the Accurate Checking of Results another ranch, a 30-ft. strip was cut through the entire field and the hay raked and shocked in the usual manner. The REE . ans ALS ee Le ro o

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IR ATRIOS? ain) BS aa oe POPULAR MECHANICS 95 shocks were cured and weighed, and the seems advisable and promising areas Of sulphured and unsulphured plots experiments are expected t computed. The strip cut was a fair aver- value of sulphur with other crops. ige of the entire field, ind the yields were fig- =— aes 4 ured on the = acreage Kesults of the first itting are not available, the second cutting vielded 1,560 lb. more pet on the sulphure d as areas nch land through- it the West, including Washington, Idaho, Ne- d Utah, and Cali- are known to be ilar to that of the tricts in Oregon which ponded so well to the — Iphur treatment, and The Rick at the Left, As the Sign Indicates, Represents the Unsulphured expansion of its us¢ Crop, Which Ran 3,300 Pounds to the Acre on Second Cutting The Su — ‘ phur-Fertilized Crop Represented by the Right-Hand Pile React! these various section Figure of 4,860 Pounds to the Acre SILVERED-GLASS UTENSILS NO HOLES, BUCKLES, OR LOOPS REPLACE PLATINUM IN FRICTIONLESS HARNESS \mong the many interesting substitu Based on the principle that a s to which Germany's extremity drove no stronger than its weakest point, a ne her industries, was the use of silvered- form of harness is made without lass utensils in the chemical arts, in place buckles, holes, snaps, or loops. the customary platinum. In processes Of the 168 metal parts, 102 are electrolytical analysis, a platinum con made of aluminum and manga- ner, weighing an ounce or more, serves nese bronze, the s the negative electrode. When such é rest being quantities of platinum became unavailable, glass dishes were roughened on’ the inside by sand last, cleaned with chromic acid, and then coated with deposited | silver by the = mirror process. Ammoniacal silver- nitrate solution was used, re- duced with formalin 40-per- ~ ent solution. A silver deposit of rs one-half to three-fourths of a ' grain was formed in three to four | minutes at a temperature not ex- . ty cer ding 86 F. When fitted with a thin plati- ro sb whe ia _ » wane pi) . \ num contact strip, — : ’ a ay clamped on the edge, ki Pe f L these utensils served o al their a rr e Buckleless, Holeless, Snapless, Loopless Harnes n This Tean 7 o purpose quite Satis- of Horses Lays Claim to the Valuable Qualities of Unusual tactorily. They are, of Strength, Longevity, and Comfort to the Horses course, a great deal less expensive than rustproofed material. Surprising claims « those made of platinum, even when that longevity are mad e for this construction, scarce metal can be obtained. 35 to 30 vear S being the estimate tor ordi

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96 POPULAR MECHANICS nary farm work. Improvements made by careful study of such details as the bridle, neckyoke, hames, traces, and breeching, and the general “fit” of the harness, add to its effectiveness. TOWERING BAMBOO TREES LINE BEAUTIFUL JAPANESE LANE Because bamboo is a grass, it is not generally realized that some of its species grow to a height of 120 ft., and that amex “— ar at £8 + i | 7 | if iy Hii ‘Th et NDE RWOOE “Bamboo Avenue,’’ at Kyoto, Japan, Where the Thickly Clustering Stalks of a Beautiful Bamboo Forest Reach a Height of 50 or 60 Feet Japan has whole forests of bamboo trees, 50 to 60 ft. high. So closely do the great stalks cluster that the groves are almost impenetrable, a fact which only adds to the beauty of the “ricksha” lanes cut through their depths. One such lane that penetrates a particularly beautiful forest at Kyoto, has named “Bamboo Avenue” by occidental admirers. been RAISE BUILDING-SITE LEVEL WITH ELECTRIC SAND PUMP New land is literally being pumped onto a building site in a novel method of grade raising used in constructing a large manufacturing plant on the shore of Lake Michigan. Two centrifugal pumps, of 400 and 75 hp., a 10-hp. piston pump, and a 50-hp. hoist, all electrically driven, are installed on a barge which floats on an artificial pond, some 40 ft. square and 14 ft. deep. A 4-ft. ditch, about 1,000 ft. long, connects the pond with Lake Michi- gan. Sand and gravel are loosened by the smaller centrifugal pump and forced by the larger one through 2,000 ft. of 18-in. pipe to the building site. The grade is being raised 4 ft. or more, the pump barge advancing as it exhausts the material near it. It is estimated that ulti- mately it will cut a channel 200 ft. wide and nearly a mile long, which used later for shipping. can be PREPARATION OF CONCRETE FOR USE IN SEA WATER Concrete used for structures that are exposed to sea water should be made from a mixture, and its surface hardened by the application of heat and moist air before it is placed in the water according to certain experts who have spent many years studying the subject. The cement should contain a large percentage of silicates, but relatively small quantities of kaolin and iron oxide If more than two-thirds of the mortar is sand, the concrete will lack density, and is likely to be destroyed in a time by sea water. dense European } snort RESILIENT SHAFT COUPLING HAS SINGLE COIL SPRING Two disks with radial slots, tween them a coil spring bent in a circle, its convolutions fitting into the slots, make up a néw form of shaft coupling that is finding quite large market in Eng- land. It is very small in relation to the torque it transmits; is flexible without and be- The Two Members of the Shaft Coupling Seen in Detail: The Coils of the Spring Fit into the Slots 1 soft wearing surfaces; runs equally we either way, and smooths out small varia- tions in the rotation of the driving mem- ber. It has been found adequate for the severe service of rolling mills.

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POPULAR MECHANICS RUSTIC BRIDGE WITHSTANDS BLOW FROM TREE Surprisingly stable bridges are con- the Olympic National Forest, in the stat tructed in the national-forest trails by of Washington. In spite of the heay rangers, though only the — crudest materials and the simplest tools are employed by the build- rs. Not long ago a iuge red-cedar tree, top- pled by a windstorm, fell on a_frustic structure icross a small stream in ~ 4 y

The Rebuilt Structure, As It Looked When the Forest Ran- gers had Finished Their Work, can be Seen in the Picture Above : blow, the bridge was not ~ ) : entirely demolished.’ Utilizing portions of the damaged span, rangers quickly rebuilt the struc- ture, which is suitable for horses as well as pe-

A Tremendous Blow, Struck When the Wind Blew a Giant Fir Tree across This Substantial Rustic Bridge, Located in the Olympic ‘ National Forest, Failed to Destroy the Span, destrians, NEBRASKANS SERVE POP CORN AT FALL FESTIVAL lifteen thousand paper bags, filled with fee, with cream and sugar added, was also crisp, freshly prepared pop corn, were served at the pop-corn booth to those given away for the asking at North Loup, who requested it. Other features of the Neb., during a_ festival — held there a few weeks ago to celebrate the im- portance of the locality in the production of this rrain. According to resi- dents of the town, the first crop of pop corn raised in this country was grown on a farm in that vicinity, and the lo- cal yield of recent years has been notable for its quality and quantity. An- nual fétes were instituted in 1902. To supply the demand for free refresh- Free-Pop-Corn Booth: Here 15,000 Bags, of ng Peapared Grin weee > > ° > »cti< i J skex ) . he Supp! in the ib, ypc Pose se =. Soaeniet & ey 100 Bashels, a we RN Few Hours pers were kept in continuous operation affair were farm-product exhibits and ath- by the three men in charge of the booth letic contests. The latter included two where the delicacy was given away. Cof- ball games daily, in addition to races.

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98 POPULAR MECHANICS TRACTOR DEALER ADVERTISES INFERIORITY OF HORSES Horse sense decrees the retirement of horses from the highway-transportation CROSSING OF SHEEP SPECIES DEVELOPS IMPROVED WOOL Experiments in the crossbreeding of sheep, conducted at a Scottish university, indicate that the fine wools of increasing de- mand may be grown in greater quantities by scientific methods. A fleece of great strength, producing exceptionally fine woolen and worsted fabrics, results from the crossing of Southdown and Soay sheep. Both the wool and the flesh obtained by crossbreed- ing Southdown and blackface sheep are of unusual quality, th« fleece, though short, being very thick and forming when spun a cloth of merinolike tex- ture. The Siberiat Public Why Gasoline Is Superior to Horses. field, according to a_ gasoline-tractor dealer who advertised his business in a large eastern city recently by hauling two of the beasts through the streets in a trailer attached to of the machines he sells. Signs on the trailer announced the practical view of the dealer, and pointed out the superiority of motor- driven convevances over horse-drawn ve- hicles. one PROPOSE TO TURN HELGOLAND INTO REFUGE FOR BIRDS It is practically agreed that the island of Helgoland, late German naval base in the North Sea, has but two possible uses: the one it served in the World War, or as a sanctuary for the millions of migra- tory birds that have long utilized it as a temporary resting place. Since it will never be permitted to revert to its former state, there seems to be little in the way of making it a bird refuge. The proposal is made by British ornithologists, and has American support. @ British warships are going to help Brit- ish trade. Commercial travelers and busi- ness men going abroad are now permitted to use them as passenger vessels, for the first time in the history of the country. COPYRIGHT, KEYSTONE VIEW CO. In This Unusual Manner a Tractor Dealer in an Eastern City Told the The Novel Adver- tising Scheme Attracted Considerable Attention mouflon stock obtained from Petrograd, bred with the reddish-coated Shetland animal, gives a soft, silky wool of brown hue, that takes the place of alpaca, and is excellent for knitting. TUBES FROM PICKER’S HANDS SPEED BERRY HARVESTING Giving all his effort to the single opera- tion of picking, and allowing gravity to place the berries in the boxes, a harvester The Harvester has Unstrapped the Con- tainer at the Left to : Show the Berry Boxes, and the Leather Funnels into Which He Slips His Hands. The Apparatus is Shown in Operating Position at the Right equipped with a new apparatus can strip a berry bush with lightning speed. From

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POPULAR MECHANICS Steel-Gauge Testing Room in the United States Bureau of Standards: The Little Disks are Seen in the Cases at the Right, and, in Individual Packing, on the Table at the Left. Various Testing Devices are to be Seen Here the container, strapped to his waist and containing two or three berry boxes, two exible tubes lead to leather funnels which sutton around his wrists. As the berries ire removed from the bush, they fall into the funnels and roll down into the boxes. POLITICAL CANDIDATES’ WIVES POOL CHANCES ON HOUSE In these days of house shortage, politi- cal candidates for state office face the pre- lection dilemma that they may, or may ot, need a dwelling at the state capitol: landlords do not sign contingent ses. Recognizing, however, that one of hem must inevitably need a home, the es of two opposing candidates in Ken- icky formed an agreement, pooled their and went house hunting to- ther. Thus it was necessary to ly one house, the winner iking the prize. terests, lease at the polls € Actual earning capacity rather than net tonnage will hereafter govern the levying of tolls at the Panama Canal, according to a bill which recently passed the House of Representatives and was sent to the menate. THOUSANDTH-INCH TOO GROSS: WORK NOW TO MILLIONTH Steel gauges accurate to the incredible fineness of a millionth part of an inch are now being made in quantities at the LU. S. Bureau of Standards. So extraor- dinarily precise is the method of man- ufacture, simple as it is, that in one in- stance 31 finished gauges out of a lot of 53 were absolutely accurate to .000,001 in., and the balance all within .000,002 in. steel disks. of precision. The gauges are At the Left, the Light-Interference Testing Apparatus; At the Right, Disk Gauges in Cohesion after being Wrung Together

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100 POPULAR cc ALAA nl ae eisbinns omens A SS a= =) nip ae . . Siig ED REE TS LG Ea i " yr eyeeey VEEDEDEYUD ’ ee ee - m wh a-- © me. See S ee A Set of the Bureau of Standards’ Steel Gauges, Accurate to the Millionth Part of an Inch, Assembled in Their Case Ready for Use THE FIRST FLIGHT OVER By J. A. informed ful- conquest of the in and the crossing of the continent by air, but little has so far been made known about the daring flight of two army pilots in the first trip over the continental divide and one of the highest peaks of the Rocky Mountain chain, made before the recent cross-country air race. The moun- tain was Long’s Peak, in Colorado—an eminence that outtops the more famous Pike’s Peak by 246 feet. The two birdmen had flown from EI- lington lield to Glenwood Springs, Colo., and from there across the Rockies over Berthoud Pass, with six other fliers in three other planes, a squadron touring the West to stimulate interest in the air serv- ice. The two were assigned to do “stunts” over the town of Loveland, the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, one of the state’s great scenic won- derlands. After doing this, they decided to climb Long’s Peak, 30 miles southwest- ward, “on their own hook.” Flying over the famous Big Thompson route into Estes Park, they astonished hotel guests there with their unannounced appearance. They then began to gain altitude in order to skim the top of the peak. Gaining altitude was the bugbear of the trip. The DeHaviland bombing plane, not designed for high flying, was tilted high in the air an:t the 400-hp. Liberty motor was given every atom of gasoline it could hurn in order that the climb might be made. The air, naturally thin at such a height, was made even more tenuous to the powerful 8-ft. propeller of the plane by an unusual drought in a dry country. "THE public has been about the somely Oces [ECHANICS % in. in diameter, the faces ground smooth and parallel.- A center hole per- mits assembling several on a rod to build up any desired dimension. When thrust or “wrung” together, the perfect faces cohere so firmly that some pounds of ef- fort is required to pull them~ apart. The machine that does the finish lap- ping on these surfaces is a war product, designed by an ordnance officer. It con sists essentially of a fixed lower and gravity upper plate, between which thé gauges are oscillated in a chuck plate. The operation is timed exactly by a sto] clock. The final tests are made optical ly, interference lines of light being used to detect deviations from perfection. A PEAK OF THE ROCKIES CHAPMAN Airmen will tell you that wet air is mucl easier to fly in than dry. Besides, the mountainous country, al ternately wooded and rocky, with here and there a lake, made the density of the at mosphere so uneven that both fliers de- clared that it was the bumpiest and most dangerous flight they had ever undertaken. The plane, weighing two tons and heavily laden with gasoline and baggage, would sink sometimes 300 ft., as if it had been dropped. One of the men risked his life many times in taking photographs. The depth of the cockpit was so great that, in ordet to snap the camera—which was not an aviation type, and therefore more difficult to handle in the air—the photographe: had to loosen the safety strap and stand up in the machine. More than once he was nearly left behind, or rather above when the machine would strike an ai pocket and drop away from him. he route of the nen included Rocky Mountain National Park, a glimpse of the continental divide, a comprehensive view of the far-famed Moffat Road, several towns and summer resorts, and the city of Denver, and was accomplished in les than three hours, with the use of only 30 gal. of gasoline. The speed of the plane at the highest level reached during the flight, was cut from 110 miles an hour to 75 by the thinness of the air. The success of the airmen in their trip, which accomplished what would take a motorist days to do, has demonstrated that there is a future for the airplane in the sight-seeing game in mountainous coun- tries as well as on the seashore.

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1¢e n= After Giving Their Program |

of Stunts over the Town of Loveland, the Two Airmen Turned Southwest to Longs Peak, One of the Highest Points in the Rocky Moun- | tain National Park Region. While Approaching the | Mountain, the Observer Snapped This Photograph to Show the Strange Triangular nit, with Mount Meeker at the Left

—— — — —_———— The Observer Took This Picture to Show ' the Succession of Tunnels and Fills Which pie se. ~ Rate Rs Enable This Railroad, One of the Highest (i <2oes ae, a ” Seaietes: in the World, to Climb over and through & . , nd on” es — the Rocky Mountains. Four Tunnels Are a ait Visible in This One Photograph Tica th 74 fee ae ‘ ——

Through the Struts and Wires of the DH-4 the Camera Caught This Well- Defined View of the Conti- nental Divide, with Halett Peak in the Center. Flight over Country of This Char- acter in a Single-Engined | Airplane Is Hazardous, as | Landing Places Are Few and Far Between and Air Conditions Often Unstable | - — \

PHOTOS COPYRIGHT, 4. A. CHAPMAN 101

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102 CLOSED STALLS FOR PATRONS OF ODD SHOE-REPAIR SHOP Since leather joined the high-cost list, the art of shoe repairing has taken on Individual Stalls for Cus- tomers of a Modern Shoe- Repair Shop, Where the Pa- POPULAR MECHANICS TESTS OF GAS TUBING REVEAL DANGEROUS CONSTRUCTION After carefully examining a large num- ber of samples, the Bureau of Standards announced recently that much of the flexible gas tubing on the market is poorly constructed, and therefore dangerous. Some was found to be made from paper, coy ered with a tar com- pound. It was recom- mended that steps. be taken to prohibit the uss of this type of tubing The experiments showe: a great variation in th quality of rubber en pieces. Generally spe ing, the higher-price: tubing was found to bé far superior to cheapet trons may Sit at Ease in material. As a result of a Semiseclusion _____—i the inquiry, it is expecte: COPYRIGHT, PRESS K.LUSTRATING SERVICE that standard specifica features of ular shop has enhanced the comfort of its customers by providing a long row of stalls, some 30 in. in height, each closed by a door and furnished with a comfort- many refinement. One pop- able chair. With his pedal extremities thus secluded, the patron may read or rest at ease while his shoes are given additional mileage. IRON ADHERES TO CONCRETE ONLY BY FRICTION, CLAIM European engineers studying the prop- erties of reinforced concrete claim that the friction of the contracting concrete on the iron is what causes adhesion be- tween them, as they have no true co- hesion. The concrete must wholly sur- round the iron properly to adhere to it. Contraction with age strengthens the structure by increasing the friction. Con- clusions point to the desirability of com- puting the tensile strength of concrete, and obtaining a figure for its minimum thickness around the reinforcing. @An all-American route for a new sub- marine cable to Asia is proposed in a War Department report to a senate committee now investigating the subject. Cape Flattery, Wash., to Alaska, to the Philip- pines is the suggested route, which is declared to be free from ice interference. tions for gas tubing will be formulated by the bureau, coOperating with other or ganizations interested in the subject. OCCUPANTS OF PARK BENCHES FACE AWAY FROM WALKS Strollers in a small public park, locate: in the business section of Los Angeles, are no longer annoyed and embarrassed by the curious gaze of persons seated on the benches along the edges of the walks, as was formerly the case. The reason is that the benches have been turned around and their occupants now face the lawn, Seated with Their Backs to the Walk, the Occupants of These Park Benches cannot Annoy Passers-By by Staring at Them not the walks. Numerous complaints caused the city authorities to make the¢ change. Habitual loafers evidently do not like the new arrangement, as the benches are seldom crowded now.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 103 IMPRISONED im ik. SN | _ Discovered underneath a pier, where it had been confined without food or fresh water for 20 days, a weak and emaciated army horse, almost dead from its experience, was rescued recently at PORTABLE LOCKER HOUSES ALL WELDING EQUIPMENT Installed on a steel “cabinet truck,” a welding or cutting outfit is easily handled luring working hours and securely pro- cted at other times. The body of the ‘uck consists of a steel cabinet, or locker ie base of which is extended rearward to support the oxygen and acetylene cylin- ders. Within the cabinet are racks and trays which hold all necessary welding and cutting torches, tips, hose, regulators, gauges, and other accessories. The whole equipment is mounted on two broad- tired wheels. a te tr tl (The first battleship built in a Pacific- coast navy yard was launched recently at Mare Island, Calif., when the “California” left the ways. »HORSE RESCUED BY STEAM CRANE Lifting a Horse from Underneath a Pier with a Steam Crane: The Animal Spent 20 Days in the Water, and Was Barely Alive When Discovered an eastern seaport by means of a steam crane, and restored to good condition by careful feeding. The animal fell into the water while being loaded on a ship for transportation to another city. Its whereabouts remained a mystery until its neighing attracted the attention of a man walking on the dock. A hole was cut in the floor of the latter, and the starved beast extricated from its position by at- taching the lifting cables of the crane to a sling passed around its body. An in- vestigation disclosed the fact that the horse had been imprisoned by the timbers supporting the pier. The animal regained its strength in a remarkably short time. In the Steel Cabinet at the Right are Contained All the Tools and Accessories Used in Welding and Cutting. A Shelf in the Rear Holds the Two Gas Tanks as Seen at the Left

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104 PHOTOGRAPHS GIVE PROOF OF MOUNTAIN CLIMBING When tourists of the Pacific Northwest return to their homes and declare they have ascended Mount Rainier, the high- i Ea od oe eg ae < 5 ’ ee bi Sa.

The Mount Rainier Photographer: At His Summit Studio He Supplies Pictorial Evidence to Mountain Climbers Who Want to Prove Their Exploit est mountain in the United States, they offer as proof of their assertion a photo- graph of themselves climbing the moun- tain, so none may find opportunity to scoff at their claim. For three months every season an of- ficial photographer is_ stationed at Rainier National Park. He does his

Sars ne a ~~

iY The View across the New Suspension Bridge at the Left Shows the Uncompleted Floor with Its Checkerboard of

POPULAR MECHANICS work high up on Mount Rainier. He takes pictures of persons ascending the mountain and has the photographs ready for them when they return. During the last season he has snapped and regis- tered 8,000 persons. The filing cabinet of the park’s official photographer is a miniature directory of the United States. The collection in- cludes likenesses of industrial magnates, government officials, state, county, and city officers ‘galore, educational workers, also globe-trotters, perpetual tourists, family parties, and many visitors from foreign countries. SNAKE RIVER CANON SPANNED BY NEW SUSPENSION BRIDGE As long as the city of Twin Fall Idaho, has existed, on the brink of th Snake River’s deep and precipitous cafion it has been handicapped by its difficulty of access from the other side of the river But at last the chasm has been spanned by a remarkable suspension bridge, whos: steel floor hangs 290 ft. above the brawling torrent of the Snake. The cafion’s nar- rowest point, selected for the crossing, still leaves a quarter-mile between the 50-ft. steel towers of the bridge, whose feet are solidly cemented into the rocky rim of the gorge. The 12 two-inch cables that support the structure run inland 100 ft. behind the towers and terminate i: huge hooks imbedded in great blocks of concrete. The bridge reduces by miles the old route across the cation, and brings the great tributary region to the north within easier reach of the city, besides opening new fields to the tourist. emporary Timbers. Above Is a View of the Cafion at the Crossing, with Half the Bridge in Place

290 Feet above the Surface of the River

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a ee POPULAR MECHANICS 105

* - > . S ) t a ~—/ -— “2 a . ee ———— “4r a6 Tan we ‘ au % ‘oem Jot dot A Laws Searchers from the De- —o., wwe A dram (ip) Mantl i “ stroyer Found the Aban- eS 4a, Cop, 2 doned Airplane 20 Miles + "Ley Ye Leaer to the North of the Bodies. This Photograph Shows the Fuselage, and the Message Scratched upon It by One of the Starved Airmen, Lieut. Fred B. Waterhouse. His Companion on The Flight Was Lieut.

Cecil H. Connolly

OPYRIGHT, INTERNATIONAL

Although the Pilot Brought the Plane to a Perfect Landing on the Lonely Beach, Mexicans Subsequently Removed the Engine, and Stole the Portable Equipment, Leaving Only That Part of the Machine Shown at the Left. The Deck of the Little Warship, Bearing the Flag-Draped Caskets, is Shown at the Right AIRMEN MURDERED BY MEXICAN FISHERMEN Two mutilated bodies, half hidden in the sand on the west coast of the Cali- fornia Gulf, were recently found by an American mining engineer. Making his way to the border, he reported his find, and thus dissolved the mystery which long veiled the fate of two army airmen. A landing party, from a destroyer dis- patched to the scene, found the bodies as described, and, 20 miles to the north, came upon the looted plane. Here, scratched by the starving airmen on wings and fuselage, was read the story of their mishap and subsequent suffering. Pilot and observer in a DH-4, they had lost their way in a rainstorm while flying on patrol from Yuma, Ariz., to San Diego, Calif. Emerging from the storm, they mistook the Gulf of California for the Pacific Ocean, so flew southward until forced to land on a lonely beach. For two ‘days, the pitiful record shows, they at- tempted vainly to appease their hunger by catching fish. Three days more were lost in a tramp northward across the desert, to be halted by their lack of water. They struggled back to the stranded plane, and with water from the radiator, kept life in their bodies until the coming of two Mexican fishermen. Here the record stops; but the broken bodies are evidence that they were lured south- ward, and five days later, while they slept, were stabbed to death. ELECTRIC FLASHLIGHT USES WET BATTERY THAT TILTS The idea of replacing the dry battery of the familiar electric flashlight with a wet battery, dispensing with a switch and tilting the cell to bring the liquid in co: tact with the plates, has been worked out in a new German lamp. Zinc and perox- ide of lead are the two plate materials, sulphuric acid being the electrolyte. The peroxide plate is exhausted in about 25 hours’ use, and is then taken out and a recharged one substituted. Charging the plates is an economical operation, and they may be stored for long periods. The cell gives about two and a half volts.

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EGG-BREAKING PLANTS BROUGHT BY GOVERNMENT 10 The Last €tep in the Proc- ess Brings the Liquid Eggs to This Storage Room. The Shelves are Made of Piping, through Which Brine is Circulated to Freeze the Contents of the Cans The First Essential for a Modern Egg- Breaking~Plant Is an Efficient Chill Room. Here the Eggs are Held in the Shell for About 24 ‘Hours before Breaking ” ares sl aes | BIB sit git\aa From the Chill Room Pictured at the Top, the Eggs are Carried to This Table for the Candling Test, Prior to Breaking. As They are Graded They are Placed in the Pails, at the Left, Which Hold 12 to 15 Dozen Each As in a Creamery, So in an Egg-Breaking Plant, Every Facility must be Provided for Washing and Sterilizing the Equipment. The All-Metal Sterilizing Room Above is is Placed Next to the Breakin on the Opposite Page, So That the Soiled Room, tensils may be Handled without Delay

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TO STATE OF HIGH EFFICIENCY AND SANITATION Y the Sanitary Breaking Table at the Right Conforms to Government Suggestion. Broken on the Knife, the Egg is Dropped into a Cup for Regrading. Shells Fall through the Funnel into the Can Below The Breaking Room, Above, Ill-Lighted, Insanitary, with Operators Ununiformed, Is Typical of Conditions That ere Common before the Educational Campaign of the Department of Agriculture Contrast This White-Enameled Breaking Room with the One Pictured Above. Here, Light is Evenly Distributed from Windows on Two Sides of the Room. As All Eggs Opened Here are Regraded, Only the Best are Finally Stored on the Brine - Pipe | Shelves, as Pictured on the Opposite Page 107

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108 SIDECAR TAXI IS FRENCH MOTOR NOVELTY The sidecar taxi is a French motor novelty of recent introduction that should COPYRIGHT, INTERNATIONAL Attached to a Motorcycle, the Little Closed Body Becomes a Sidecar Taxi That can Outspeed and Out- dodge the Fastest Automobile. The Passenger is Well Shielded from Flying Mud and Bad Weather prove popular for quick transportation about crowded city streets. The pas- senger rides in comfort, as he is com- pletely protected by the decked-over body, folding top, and queer semispherical wind- shield. The meter is carried conspicu- ously on the nose of the little body. TAILORS’ MASTER PATTERNS MADE BY HEATED TOOL For the cutting room of the tailoring establishment may now be had a simple machine which makes patterns by burning holes in the paper. Tailors’ Master Patterns are Quickly Perforated by the Hot Teeth of the Wheel A small toothed wheel contains a resist- ance coil which heats the teeth to the desired temperature. As it is pushed along the penciled lines of the master POPULAR. MECHANICS pattern, the wheel thus leaves behind it a perforated trail. With patterns made in this way, the various designs are laid out, once and for all, in the most economical arrangement, and are quickly transferred to the cloth by the application of chalk dust. CHEMICAL FILLING OF PORES MAKES WOOD FIREPROOF Wood is made virtually fireproof by a new English method, which fills the ffores with a crystalline deposit of fire-resistant chemicals. The air and moisture content of the extracted, and the sap water by a steaming and vacuum process in a closed chamber. The empty then impregnated with the chemicals by hydraulic pressure. When the solution has dried, each cell of the wood remains filled with crystals, which expand on exposure to heat and prevent the entrance of air. Wood so treated will char, but not burn. pores 18 dissipated, cells are ENGINE WITHOUT CRANK TURNS SHAFT BY SCREW PRINCIPLE Many an inventor has searched the list of mechanical movements for a means to rescue the reciprocating engine from its URTESY OF THE MOTCR CYCLE, LONDON The Piston’s Reciprocating Motion is Changed to Rotation by the Helical Grooves in the Shaft Which Turns the Flywheel cumbersome crank, but without success. A _ horizontal gasoline engine, built in Australia on the crankless princi- ple. has attained speeds of 3,000 r.p.m., and develops 16 hp. in a space 22 in. long and 10 in. wide. The cylinder is double- acting, about 4-in. stroke and 3%4-in. bore. The crosshead slides longitudinally on the driving shaft, which is grooved heli- cally in both right and left directions at a long pitch, and turns when the piston moves. A gear drives a second shaft grooved in a shorter pitch, which acts to start the crosshead back at the end of each stroke. Thus the flywheel is kept turning. usually

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POPULAR MECHANICS 109 LAKE MICHIGAN SMASHES ANOTHER STEAMER F The first of the winter gales on the treacherous Great Lakes has added one more to the long list of lost ships. The iron sidewheel steamer “City of Muskegon,” leaving \lilwaukee, Wis., one re- cent night, ran into an exceptionally violent northwest storm that literally blew it across The Steamer Lying in 50 Feet of Water off the Muskegor Pier, Only Its Walking Bean and Funnels Showing above the The Great Lakes Steamer “City of Muskegon,” Formerly Known as the tntrance of Muskegon Harbor in the First Winter Gale “City of Holland,” Wrecked at the Lake Michigan into the very shadow of its destination before destroying it. En- trance to the harbor of Muskegon, Mich., is between two mile-long piers some 300 ELECTRIC WIRES PROTECTED BY ONE-PIECE ARMOR Flexible metal-armored electric-current conductors have been employed for some time as a means to reduce fire danger in huildings, but their use has been re- tricted somewhat by their weight and high cost. These disadvantages are de- lared to have been eliminated in a new ble, which is covered with a single strip of galvanized steel. The material is vound spirally, with its edges interlocked and gasketed to form a light, inexpen- sive, and nearly water-tight tube that can be bent without damage. Insulated wires are contained in the tube. At present, the cable is manufactured only in one size, containing two conductors. Metal clamps are used to attach the material. Surface ft. apart; and against onc of these piers the help- less steamer was hurled bodily by the resistless waters. It pounded te pieces in a few minutes and went down in 50 ft. of water almost along side of a coast-guard station, taking with it many of its 37 pas- sengers and crew of 35. The ship wa formerly named the “City of Holland.” It was built in 1881, was 231 ft. long, and of 1,148 gross tons. A Single Strip of Gal- vanized Steel, Wound Spirally, Forms a Light and Very Flex- ible Armor for This New Electric Cable Which Contains Two Insulated Conductors

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110 STEAM GENERATOR IN FURNACE MOISTENS AIR OF HOUSE Moistening the air of a dwelling not only saves coal, but promotes health, comfort, and the durability of the fur- = The Steam Drum on the Left End Is over the Coals of the Furnace, a Thin Sheet of Water being Ad- mitted to It through the Adjustable Drip Valve at the Other End nishings, and is easily accomplished with a new steam generator designed for in- stalling just above the furnace fire box. The steam drum, five to eight inches in diameter and an inch or so high, is sup- plied with filtered water by a finely reg- ulated drip valve. The steam passes into the living rooms through its own floor registers or radiator nozzles. It is read- ily attached to any steam, water, or air system of heating. @The Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America is planning the erection of a permanent home in Wash- ington, D. C., to cost about $2,500,000, and a site opposite Lafayette Square al- ready has been selected. POPULAR MECHANICS ENGINEERS TO STUDY PLANS FOR INDIANA DUNE PARK Plans for the preservation of Indiana's natural wonderland, the Lake Michigan dunes, recently advanced another step when a compromise was effected with a Porter County commercial association, hitherto antagonistic to the project. The opposition was based on the assumption that the county’s industries would be de- prived of water frontage, and commercial development hindered. Now three en: gineers are to be appointed to study the location of boundary lines for the reserve. Their duty will. be to preserve a proper balance between commercial and esthetic considerations in planning the park. MOUNTAIN RAILROAD TRAINS MOVED BY FIVE ENGINES Western railroads once were noted for steep grades, but most of these inequali- ties have been smoothed until their ne- gotiation by powerful modern locomo- tives means little loss in time or increase in fuel consumption. Until recently; a stretch of track over the Wasatch Moun- tains, northern Utah, presented difficulties in its inclines. Between some points, the rails rose at the rate of nearly 370 ft. to ‘the mile, and five engines often were re- quired to move an ordinary passenger train upgrade. A more nearly level de- tour, 15 miles long, now makes it unnec- essary to use this portion of the line. Passenger Train Crossing the Wasatch Mountains: Even with Five Locomotives Pushing and Pulling the Cars, Progress Is Slow on the Steep Grades. A Detour Now Makes It Possible for Traffic to Avoid This Stretch of Track

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POPULAR MECHANICS

KENG WAH AVIATION SCtiO —- ke Se et &£ BO 4 oo 4 <4 o oF - nx

Assembled Before Their Hangar at Saskatoon, Canada, are Seen the Chinese Instructors, Mechanics, and Students of the Keng Wah Aviation School CHINESE IN CANADA HAVE OWN FLYING SCHOOL A Chinese flying school is now well established at Saskatoon, Canada, for the purpose of training airmen who will even- tually return to China and there help put aviation on a commercial basis. The ven- ture is financed by a patriotic society of more than 2,000,000 members, and has al- ready proved itself a success by turning out several capable pilots. Half a dozen others are now well advanced in “solo” flying. The daily work at the school has demonstrated that the Oriental has an acute sense of balance, and a faculty of cool, unhurried thinking that serves him well in the occasional crises of the flying field CALIFORNIA SETTLERS TO GET BOTH FARMS AND FUNDS Homesteaders will have a chance to both farms and financial ance in California next spring, when the state land-settlement board, will open 12,000 acres to settlers. Under the plan adopted, farmers may borrow money to establish themselves, and repay the loan in easy installments. The state’s previous experiments in this direction have been quite successful. acquire assist- MACHINE PRINTS LAUNDRY MARKS ON CLOTHING Electric marking machines are now doing the work formerly done in many large laundries by hand. One of these units, with its electric motor and iron base, is illus- trated, and seems superficially to re- semble an _ adding machine. Placing the collar, or shirt, on the pad at the left, the oper- ¢ ator punches the proper keys and pulls the lever. The machine automatic- ally alines and inks the type and, in the hands « a skilled worker, mark as many pieces in an yur, standard print any mark contajning not more than 19 char- acters, Man? nt equipment CA harm! which removes or lime stains from porcelain, ‘glass, marble, and enamelware, has been added to the list of cleanc‘ng agents.

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112 COLD-BEND TESTING MACHINE HAS AUTOMATIC CLUTCH An ingenious automatic stop is the fea- ture of a new form of cold-bend metal-

POPULAR MECHANICS DEPARTMENT STORE HANDLES SECONDHAND GOODS Secondhand and shop-worn merchan- dise is sold exclusively in a department store that was estab-

lished recently in a large eastern city. Much oft the stock is purchased from wealthy individuals, particularly women, who dispose of their surplus clothing and other arti- cles in this manner, An- other source of supply exists in the high-class shops, where samples which have become soiled or faded are ob tained -by the store's buyers, three in number. Since the goods are ac- quired at only a fraction of their original cost, in most cases, they are sold at extremely low prices, though often the price

In the Front View of the Cold-Bend Testing Machine, on the Left, a Test Piece is Seen Broken at the Bend. The Rear View, at the Right, Reveals the Driving Motor and Gears, and the Clutch Lever Whose Operation by the Revolving Disk Constitutes the Automatic Feature testing machine. <A _ powerful- electric motor drives the bending disk through worm wheel and gearing, and two friction clutches, with a hand shift lever, allow rotation in either direction. The test metal is bent around a pin of the desired diameter by the slow rotation of the disk. A smaller disk at the back carries a pin which, at a predetermined point, strikes a lug on the clutch lever, whether its posi- tion be forward or reverse, thus instant- ly stopping the rotation. All movements are adjustable, and bending pins of any size may be inserted. MAGNESIUM-CHLORIDE CEMENT IMPROVED BY COMPOUNDING For the manufacture of imitation mar- ble and stone, and for white ornaments, it has been found that the magnesium chloride commonly used as a base is im- proved by adding 38 per cent of mag- nesium oxide. If the chloride is in a sat- urated solution, 33 per cent of the oxide may be added. The result is a white, hard substance quite resistant to change. It sets in 8 to 36 hours at ordinary tem- peratures, and is unaffected by mixing with nearly its own quantity of inert matter. is no indication of their real value. Practically everything handled by an ordinary department store is offered for sale, including men’s clothing, women’s wearing apparel, shoes, furniture, furs, and jewelry. TOOL MAKES COIL SPRINGS FOR EYEGLASS MOUNTINGS Eyeglass mountings that grip the wear- er’s nose with little fanger levers become so popu- lar that a small tool has now been have devised for mak- ing and placing the minute coil springs used. It consists simply of a hollow pencil- like rod through which the gold wire is fed from a little spool at the other end. The end of the wire is bent around the eyeglass guard, given enough turns to make a spring, and is then cut off.

@ Electrification of all the railways in Chile operated by the state, some 2,300 miles, is a new South American project

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POPULAR MECHANICS 113 ROUGH-RIDING TANK 4 AS AMUSEMENT CAR < i Se : e - ae

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The Imitation Tanks, and the Electrically Driven Revolving Steel Tower Whose Extended Arms Draw Them about the Wood Bowl. The Insert Gives a Close-Up View of One of the Tanks with Its Camouflage Decorations It was inevitable that the army tank’s reputation as a rough rider should serve to inspire the authors of amusement- park thrills. The tank slogan, “treat ’em rough,” taken as applying to the oc- cupants, fits in well with the modern idea of entertainment. Now one of the great resorts for pleasure seekers in the East has installed, as its latest joy stimulant, a set of four counterfeit tanks, dressed in camouflage paint, that bump around the inside of a wooden bowl with about an acre of surface. The make-believes are light, with transverse seats like a street car, and run on wheels instead of crawling on a flat tread; but they stag- ger along over carefully designed bumps and rough spots with satisfying realism Their power is supplied by a revolving tower of skeleton steel in the center of the bowl, with towing cables attached to four projecting arms at the top. As an electric motor in the base rotates the tower, centrifugal force carries the tanks nearer and nearer the edge of the bowl, adding further zest to the adventure.

FUEL CONSUMED BY MOTOR CAR SHOWN BY METER A dash instrument which records in- formation regarding the gasoline con- sumption of an automobile ‘is being manufactured in a southern state. In ap- pearance, the device resembles an odom- eter, but, instead of registering mileage, indicates the amount of fuel used dur- lig a season, or on a trip, and the quan- tity in the tank, besides giving warning if the vacuum system is not functioning properly. The latter is accomplished by colored signals which appear in an aper- ture in the face of the meter. Provision is made for resetting the contrivance at the end of a trip or at the close of a sea son. Metal tubing connects this extreme ly useful instrument with the vacuun tank, through which it is operated.

r —_———

Gasoline Dash Meter: On the Left is Shown How the Device ‘is (\Connected to the Vacuum Tank and, on the Right, Is the Face of the Meter

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SOME NOVEL AND LITTLE-KNOWN ACCESSORIES Side-Worn Shoe Heels are Prevent- ed by This Con- trivance of Rub- ber and Leather, Whichis Designed to be Glued inside Footwear. The Appliance Also Acts asa Cushion Perfect Fitting Is Possible with This New Gaiter, Which Thread can be Un- wound without Tan- gling or Waste When This Simple Device, Made of Spring Steel, is Placed on a Spool. * At One End of the Clip Is a Cutter. The Cuntrivance Adjusis Automatically to Any Size Spool A Deodorizer Which does Not Look the Part: After Water is Poured into the Graceful Vase, the Vessel Emits a Pleasing Perfume That Scents the Air in a Large Room Has both Buttons and Laces cult Wh and Gro Cooking over an Open Fire Is Not Diffi- Supporting It Folds into a Small Package, - with This mbrellalike Device, ich Includes an Adjustable Tripod, a Revolving Grate. Food Placed in This Aluminum Container Re- mains Hot or Cold for Hours, as the Device is Thor- can be Used on Uneven und A Departure from the Con- ventional Tea Ball Is in the Form of a Miniature Gold- plated Kettle, Provided with a Stand and Tray to Match Anything Preventing Automobile-Tire Punctures Is of Interest. This Rubber Appliance Fits over an Inner Tube, and Protects It from Nails and Tacks TTT RS aes 114 oughly Insulated, Though Not Bulky nor Heavy Strapped to the Running Board of a Touring Car, This Neat Refrigerator does Not Mar the Appearance of the Vehicle, but Effici- . ently Preserves Food. Its One-Piece Lining Is ot Galvanized Metal

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INTENDED FOR THE HOME AND ITS MEMBERS Pivoted Front Wheels Dis- tinguish This Perambulator from Its Predecessors. This Construction Makes It Pos- sible to Turn the Buggy Quickly without the Usual Laborious Manipulation, and without Disturbing the In- fant Occupant of the Vehicle When the Basket Shown on the Right is Placed on This Wooden- Wheeled Truck, It Becomes a Cradle That can be Moved Eas- ily to Any Part of the House Sectional Cedar Chest: New Parts can be Added When Required, and Any One of the Sections can be Opened without Disturbing the Contents of the Others Designed Especially for Home Lighting, a New Gas-Filled Electric Bulb is Made from Translucent Glass, Which Effectively Ab- sorbs the Glare, with- out Materially Reduc- ing the Illuminating Power of the Lamp. The Novelty Is Pear- Shaped and Has No Unsightly Tip. Made in 50-Watt Size Only Wurst? Wg An Artistic Addition to Any Home Is a Wicker Birdcage Stand, on Which are Suspended Two Cages of the Same Material Indoors or Outdoors, This Novel Wicker Bassinette Serves Baby. It is Equipped with Handles, by Which It can be Carried on the Street by Mother or Nurse. At Home, the Bed Rests on the Run- ning Gear Pictured at the Left A New All-Steel Table for Camp- ers and Tourists Folds into Re- markably Smali Dimensions, and Is Not Heavy to Carry COPYRIGHT

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116 RACK FOR DISPLAYING RUGS KEEPS STOCK IN ORDER Showing rugs to customers in retail stores requires less effort on the part of salesmen with a recently devised rack, POPULAR MECHANICS © FAST-GROWING BLACK WALNUT MAY REPLACE LOST WOOD Much has been said of late about the value of American black walnut, and its close approach to extinction. No doubt ’ - a 4, Rug-Display Rack: To Rearrange the Stock, the Side Levers, Which are Connected by a Crossbar, are Pulled toward the Inclined Table. The Clamp can be Loosened by a Simple Operation which permits a large collection to be displayed in a brief time, and the rear- rangement of the stock in an instant. The floor coverings are spread on an in- clined table, at the upper end of which they are held in a clamp. When lifted and thrown back, the strips of carpet drape over a crossbar between two levers that are pivoted near the bottom of the rack on either side. By pulling the levers toward the table, the rugs are replaced in their former position. WEAR ON RIGHT SIDE OF ROAD POINTS MORAL FOR DRIVERS That increased traction means in- creased road wear, even with rubber tires, is demonstrated by the scars on the right side of every uphill road, where ascending wheels bite the surface. Pit- ting on the outer edges of crowned roads also shows the added traction caused by the sloping vehicle’s weight being shifted to the right. Modern hard roads need little crowning, but in any event the driver can help maintain the pavement by refraining from tracking or driving in ruts, and keeping wherever possible to the center of the highway. A little thought- fulness will keep down the taxes. many trees are _ being planted now, and th next generation will gather huge profits from nuts as well as timber. The successful cultiva- tion of a new crossed species, however, has now produced a tree that grows with’ extraordi- nary rapidity. This hy- brid variety adds nearly a one-inch ring to its thickness every year. The first experimental specimen, now only 22 years old, is 96 ft. high, spreads 64 ft., and is 9 ft. 3 in. around the trunk. The nuts are much larger than the ordinary va- riety, and the wood is exceptionally hard and beautiful. Planting grove of such trees would seem to offer a sure way to fortune in 10 to 20 years; but many will be inter- ested in starting, perhaps, a single speci- men of the new walnut, whose value in a few years would reach several hundred dollars, to say nothing of its great beauty. INSECTS DRIVEN INTO TRAP BY RAISING BAIT PAN Flies are stampeded into a recently in- vented insect trap by lifting the shallow bait pan, placed underneath a base that holds an inverted bottle or jar, when a swarm of the pests has gathered on the lure. Hook- like wire handles, attached to the edges of the pan, are provided for facilitating this operation. A small hole in the center of the base permits the frightened quarry to enter the upturned vessel above. Con- tainers of various mouth diameters can be supported by the base. An ordinary glass fruit jar with which we are all familiar, is suitable for use with the trap.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 117 OPERA BY RADIO IS NOVELTY OF ELECTRIC EXPOSITION A wireless-telephone receiver in the Signal Corps booth, from which issued the strains of familiar grand-opera selec- tions, was a striking novelty of Chicago’s recent electrical show. The music was transmitted from a stationgabout a mile distant, a phonograph supplying the airs. That the clearness and strength of the transmission were not dependent on the short range, became evident when the ra- dio operators at Ludington, Mich., and Milwaukee, Wis., sent thanks for the en- tertainment thus furnished them. SPRING GATE CLOSES ROAD AT RAILROAD CROSSING To reduce the too-heavy toll of acci- dents at railroad crossings which are not guarded by gatemen, a western inventor has developed a set of gates made of heavy woven wire, which automatically drop across the road on either side of Spring Gates, for Railroad Crossings, Which Drop across the Road While the Lamps on the Posts Light Up the tracks, when a train approaches. The gates slid2 in posts, capped with red lights; a warning bell, also, is provided. A single electric motor drops and raises the gates. They are spring-suspended in such a way that an auto running into them carelessly, would be little damaged. REMOVABLE WINDOW GRATING LOCKED BY RAISING SASH As a substitute for unsightly and in- convenient iron bars, a window guard that is locked in position when a lower sash is opened, but which can be re- moved easily when the latter is closed, has appeared on the market. The device includes a metal grating, adjustable as to width, and intended to be installed by placing it in holders attached to the sides of a window casing. Near the upper ends of the holders are the locks, which Window Guard: On the Left the Device is Installed. The Operation of the Automatic Locks is Illustrated at the Right of the Picture consist of hooks, so arranged that they are pushed into notches in the side strips of the grating by raising the lower sash. AUTOMOBILE IGNITION SYSTEM PROTECTED BY NEW DEVICE Water entering a crack between the cowl and hood of a certain make of inex- pensive motor car often causes short cir- cuits of the ignition system by soaking the wooden back of the box which con- tains the induction coils. A simple device for the prevention of this trouble is now on the market. It is a sheet of rubber, prepared to withstand the action of heat and moisture, and designed to be placed between the coil box and the instrument A Rubber Shield in Front of a Coil Box Prevents Short Circuits Caused by the Entrance of Water board, with its upper edge bent backward under the front of the cowl. The porcelain terminals pass through snugly fitting _ holes in the sheet.

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118 POPULAR PILING MADE IN MANY FORMS BY NEW CONCRETE PROCESS A novel process of making concrete foundation piling in a variety of shapes, adaptable to any condition, has just been ; ben , Views of Forms Used and Sections of Finished Piling, Giving a Clear Idea of Both Method and Results announced. The form, placed in _ the ground, has a number of side openings, and its end piece is also perforated. A reinforcing tube inserted in the form has branches communicating with all of these openings. The concrete is poured, the form withdrawn, and reinforcing ma- terial is then forced through the tubes until it forms projections at the outside of each opening. The size, number and shape of the openings may be varied as desired. SPIRAL TOOL DRAWS SAMPLES FROM CARLOAD OF COAL To extract testing samples from a car- load of coal there is now produced a The Augerlike Tool is Seen in Vertical Cross Section. From Three or 7 Four Samples Obtained in This Way the Coal | Dealer Learns Just What Grade of Coal He is Buying tool that does the work thoroughly and quickly. In appearance it resembles a large auger with its spiral inclosed in a steel pipe. To extract his testing sam- ple, the coal dealer’s representative twists the auger handle until the point en- counters the car bottom. He then pulls the sampler from the coal, and reverses This motion permits the ex- the spiral. MECHANICS tracted coal to fall into a suitable re- ceptacle. Teeth at the bottom of the pipe keep it from turning, and act with the auger end to shear off lumps of coal that wedge between. STURDY LITTLE AIR MOTOR DRIVES MODEL PLANE As their big brothers enlisted in the fighting air services thousands of boys on both sides of the Atlantic found a new, or an added, interest in flying model airplanes. The sport now boasts more youthful enthusiasts than ever before. Many of the boys build their own craft; yet manufactured models find a ready market. An efficient and: reliable ma- chine, powered with a compressed-air motor, is now produced by an English firm. It is of the monoplane type, with a wing span of 5 ft. 9 in., and a length of 3 ft. 6 in. The fuselage is replaced The Businesslike Appearance of This Model Airplane will Recommend It to the Youthful Enthusiast. The Twin Cylinders of the Compressed-Air Motor Turn an 18-Inch Propeller by a cylindrical tank containing air at 150-lb. pressure. Fixed to the forward end is the little two-cylinder engine with its 18-in. propeller. The total weight is only 28 ounces. SCALP CUT TO TIGHTEN FACE AND REMOVE WRINKLES A surgical cure for wrinkles is an un- expected but wholly practical result of war-time reconstruction work on shell- torn faces. The advocate of this new form of “cosmetic” surgery, a French- man, observed that wrinkles and folds vanished from the face when the skin before and above the ears was pulled up- ward and backward. He has according- ly devised an operation which consists in cutting a bit of skin from the scalp, then pulling the edges of the wound together with fine stitching. The skin of the face is drawn tight, and the wrinkles disap- pear. The scalp is chosen because the hair soon grows and hides the scar.

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POPULAR MECHANICS VAST IRRIGATION RESERVOIR PLANNED FOR AUSTRALIA Thirty thousand acres of land will be 119 bed proper, as the greater part will extend across an alluvial flat on the left bank of the stream. In constructing the earthen dam, a concrete core wall will be built, submerged by the construction of a and covered with stone to reinforce the mammoth dam in south- eastern Australia, the re. Sarre tea 7 object of which , 1S , to -sesmcmionnanesiee — _ TALMALMO form a great irrigation wn reservoir. Work has : i = started on the structure, 7 e % " : ° » + 9 which will be located on NEW y SOUTH. WALES the Murray River, a Ne am? a — = short distance below the MZ M20, confluence of Mitta = 2a Mitta Creek with that Sp, river. It is estimated ‘ ever § s that the project will cost wooorl “MITTA MITTA DAM SITE ovATONS® $8,000,000 to complete. os ¢ Approximately 43,560,- yo P gle) 000,000 cu. ft. of water 2 EBDENY mitts will be impounded. Ry % ome Go: 2 Che total length of the RB ’ : ri 6 x Nt dam will be 3,601 ft ‘% VICTORIA \ rhis will comprise three sections: an earthen Location of the Great Australian Dam: The Shaded Area will be Covered dam, 2,700 ft. long; a with Water When the Project is Completed. Many Acres of concrete spillway, 740 ft. long, and an outlet works of the same material, 161 ft. long. At some points the dam will be nearly 100 ft. in height. ‘he foundation will extend down to a stratum of granite, 34 ft. below the sur- face of the earth. Only a comparatively small portion of the dam will be situated in the river Land will be Irrigated by Means of the Big Reservoir dirt embankment. Thirty-one _ sluice gates will be installed in the spillway sec- tion. Water turbines, placed in the dam, will furnish power to operate these. The outlet works will be pierced by eight 6-ft. pipes, equipped with valves and capable of discharging 8,000 cu. ft. of water a second under a 29-ft. head. TIRE TOOL QUICKLY PUTS ON CLINCHER TIRES The occasional obstinacy of the ordi- nary clincher tire is a sore point with many motorists. To put one on with ordi- At the Right are Shown Front and Rear Views of the Tool Which Puts On the Stiffest Clincher Tire in a Few Seconds. Removal Is Equally Easy When the Bars at the Left are Used as Indicated nary methods not infrequently results in injuries to tire and tube, not to mention fingers and temper. A simple tool is now produced, however, with which the opera- tion is performed quickly and safely. With the clips of the instrument embracing the rim, the tire is laid so that the outer bead is flush against a curved guide. Then, as the lever is worked back and forth like a pump handle, a reciprocating dog pushes the tool around the rim and slides the tire into place. Incidentally, the beads are always forced together ahead of the tool, so the inner tube. is never “pinched,” and injury to it is impossible. For removing the tire two other simpler tools do the work in a few seconds. @In Japan, auto speed limits depend on the width of the road. Streets over 36 ft. wide permit 16 miles an hour; between 18 and 36 ft. wide, a 12-mile gait is the limit, while on country roads, 12 to 18 ft. across, an eight-mile pace is set.

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CHILDREN’S PICTURE-STORY DEPARTMENT (A Father with Many Years of Railroad Experience Built This Toy Locomotive for His Little Son. Engine and Tender To- ether Are About Two Feet ong. A Spring Motor in the Boiler Turns the Wheels, While a Battery Supplies Current to q the Headlight 4 As Part of Its Public-School System, Chi- cago Possesses One of the Best Schools for Cripples in the World. The Institution’s Equipment Includes This Wheeled Frame, with Which Many Unfortunates have Learned to Walk. It was Constructed in the School’s Manual-Training Room oh, ot ens ag COPTRIGHT. UNOERWOQOO @ VUNBEABOOR Near-By Parks and Farms Are the Classrooms Now Used by the Nature-Study Classes of a Primary School near Philadelphia. A Live Sheep Gets More Attention Than a Dead Book ened

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OF MODERN ACTIVITIES AND INTERESTS A Motorcycle Engine beneath the Hood, Airplane Wheels, a Speedometer, and a Stream- line Body Make This One of the Finest Midget Cars Ever Driven by a Proud Owner A / S [CoN WaT CEES CURT RATINS seavice Toy Airplanes Are Common, but This Is One of the First Genuine Toy Bai- loons. It Resembles the Bags Which Hold a Military Ob- server High above the Battle Line - COPYRIGHT, PRESS ILLUSTRATING SERVICE Coasting Downhill Is True Sport hen the Skater Provides Himself with This Accessory. Sitting on the Saddle with the Crosspiece Resting , The Clockwork Machine Shown at Left and Right Holds the Doll Erect, While a ; ~ , : Wheel Pushes It along the Floor, and on His Legs, Just above the Knees, the | Reciprocating Arms Cause the Feet to Coaster Finds Himself Busy Keeping His Balance Move as in Walking 121

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122 POPULAR DOORS PERMIT VENTILATION WHILE GIVING PRIVACY Doors that give privacy without inter- fering with the passage of air when closed A View of the Inside of the Ventilated Door is Shown on the Left. At the Right Is a Section, Indicating Its Construction are provided for the guest rooms of an Iowa hotel. The panels of the doors are composed of vertical strips of two sizes, the larger about 3 in. wide and % in. thick, and the smaller 1 in. square. Along the edges of the former there are V- shaped grooves, running the entire length MECHANICS of the board. The smaller strips are set between the larger, with two angles fit- ting into the grooves, and a space of 1, in, separating them. Air can pass through these interstices, though the door pre- sents a barrier to the eye. A solid panel hinged to the inside of the door can be closed to make the latter tight, when ventilation is not wanted, PREHISTORIC STONE STRUCTURE UNCOVERED IN COLORADO Picturesquely situated in the- Mesa Verde National Park of Colorado has been found an old Indian relic, declared to be the highest stone building built by the aborigines before the coming of the white man, of which any trace has been found north of Mexico. The tower is some 40 ft. high and rises from a con- siderable structure, 136 ft. in length. Rem- nants of the original rafters are still in place, and even show marks of the crude stone implements used by the builders. This latest find, with the houses and cliff dwellings already excavated and restored makes Mesa Verde a remarkable natural museum, where aboriginal life may be studied under almost ideal conditions. @Postage stamps of triangular form have been issued by the new People’s Republic of the Ukraine in Europe. The shape is symbolical of the Holy Trinity, representing the ascendancy of Chris- tianity over Mohammedanism. TRAVELING PLUG FINDS LEAK IN LONG-BURIED PIPE A section of 6-in. water main, buried some 36 ft. in made land on Chicago’s lake est, eet was that the leakage occurred between two valves, 830 ft. apart. After several unsuccessful experiments, an ingenious plan was put into operation. Six rings of rubber steam -packing, clamped between seven wooden disks, were formed into a plug just fitting the inside of the pipe. This was attached to a %e-in. wire rope passed through a stuffing box on a Y- joint, and the water turned on. The plug, traveling about two feet a second, finally stopped 616 ft. 3 in. away, and the gauge pressure fell to three pounds, with a full head of water passing opener Traveling Plug That Found the Leak, and Method of Introducing It into the Pipe through a Stuffing Box sprung badly aleak a short time ago, and the only clew to the location of the break through the pipe. Exca- vation was made at the point indicated, and the break—a one-inch separation caused by the settling of the ground—appeared just where the plug had ceased its journey. The repair was then made quickly and at low cost.

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HL “g ipl k i fc 7 Si! Hi Ay ¥OD i Hi i | <O°3¢ 1H Gu tii iC 0. 2 38 aA edi ak Hi IN i a hi Information as to where to obtain any specihed materials or parts for making objects described in the following pages may be had, on request, Bureau of Information. —Editor. A Combination Chair and Folding Bed By F. E. At times, in nearly every home, there is an urgent need for the temporary use of a single bed or cot that can be moved about easily. And as living quar- ters, in cities especially, seem to be grow- ing smaller every year, few families care to use much space for furniture that is not used constantly. This device, which quickly converts an ordinary morris chair into a temporary bed, or couch, without the expense of a mattress, can be constructed at little cost hy one who enjoys working with tools. lhe wooden framework, which folds and fits under the seat cushion of the chair, is shown in Fig. 1, both folded and opened out. Two steel hooks are pro- vided, by which the extension is attached to the chair when in use. In Fig. 2, is shown the general appearance of the couch; and also a sectional view of the device when folded and placed under the seat cushion. As may be seen in this FRAME MADE OF x 2s Oak STRIPS” ¢x2°LeEGs ~ FELT UNING DOOR HOOKS 4— STEEL HOOKS OETA OF LEG FASTENING Fic. | Details of the Couch Frame: By Mortising the Legs, the Frame Folds Up So As to Occupy But Little Vertical Space hooks fit between the cushions at the back, so that they take up no room. The entire height of the frame, when folded, is only 2 in.—the view, the steel LEITCH thickness of the legs. How the frames are folded so that no greater space than this is required, will be apparent pean, BACK CUSHION HEAD PILLOW

SECTIONAL VIEW SHOWING DEVICE FOLDED UNDER SEAT BACK ‘ CUSHION General Appearance of the Couch When Set Up: A Sectional View is also Given Which Illustrates the Two Positions of the Frame from a study of Fig. 1, which shows two views of it. To convert the chair into a couch, first remove the seat and back cushions, lift out the folded frame, and hang the two steel hooks over the front of the chair, as in Fig. 2. Then unfold the lower sec tion; the legs will swing down into place, and are fastened by the door hooks seen in Fig. 1. Place the seat cushion on the middle section, and the back cushion on the one at the foot. Fill in the seat ot the chair with sofa cushions, and plac« the head pillow on top. A very comfort- able couch is thus produced, which may be over 6 ft. in length. The foot cushion may be tied on, if there is any danger ot the sleeper’s pushing it off. In constructing the apparatus, be sure that the legs are hinged so that whe: they are folded, they will not interfer with each other. The legs are mortised at the top, to fit just inside the frame strips.

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124 POPULAR Stock-Proof Farm Gate A short-cut path across a field to an electric car line was blocked by the owner, who fenced it with wire and a i ae || | a i Ni y WW + ie iy In pa ity ny ',! 6 a Y 4 a e ‘ z “o vai ~ To Enable Pedestrians to Pass through a Field with- out Danger of Cattle Escaping, a Gate was Built of Three Posts turned cattle in to graze. Since the path saved a great many steps, he received many protests. The owner gave permis- sion to the pedestrians to put in a gate at each end of the path that would per- mit them to pass, but prevent the escape of cattle. This was done in the manner illustrated. An opening was cut in the fence, 1% ft. wide, a post placed on each side, and a third post midway between them, about 1% ft. from the fence line. The arrange- ment proved to be quite satisfactory.— Werner W. Baumeister, Walla Walla, Washington. Collapsible Show-Card Desk The show-card bench described will prove of great value in the sign shop where space is not very plentiful. It can be folded up against the wall, out of the way, when not in use. Another good feature is that when lettering a large oilcloth or a large sign, the bench can be lowered for working on the top line, then gradually raised until the last line is reached. It will be easier to put the bench to- gether before attaching it to the wall. Make it any length desired, putting bat- tens on the underside. Then fasten the MECHANICS 2 by l-in. stringer with screws, and at- tach the 2 by 2-in. piece to it by means of hinges placed every 3 ft. The width of the bench should be 3 ft. The legs must be 4 in. shorter than the width of bench, They are to be hinged to the bench itself, far enough away from the battens so as to fold up compactly. A hole, or notch, should be made in the 2 by 2-in. piece, to pass the rope through. If the bench is to be attached to a plas- tered wall, find the uprights back of the plaster, and fasten the 2 by 2-in. strip to the wall with 4-in. bolts, or screws, using washers. At the bottom of the legs, drive l-in. wire nails, permitting 14 in. to extend. Cut off the heads; this prevents the legs from slipping on the floor. Before setting the bench in place, close it and place it against the wall, let- ting its outer edge touch the floor. Make a pencil mark on the wall above the strip, so that the bench will. not be fastened too low to fold against the wall. To raise the bench, simply lift it with the hand. To lower, or fold it away, NAILS DETAIL OF LEGS 2x2" A Bench Made in This Way Takes Up Scarcely Any Room at All When Not Required, but Is Instantly Available Wien Lifted Up with the Hand raise it slightly, pull on the rope that his | been passed through the pulley above the bench, and let the bench down gently. —Arthur J. Kelly, Brooklyn, N. Y. @ Auto tops which are left down most of the time soon have holes worn in them. They may be easily repaired by the use of the ordinary cementless rub- ber patches used to repair inner tubes.

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Prevention of Frost on Show Windows By G. E. SAMPSON ; HAT would otherwise be a good window display is often rendered ineffective by frost. This happens when the temperature inside the window is higher than outside. When this is true, the moisture of the inside air condenses _— — == —— |: Bee j | MOLES IN WINDOW FRAME When the Window Glass is Set in a Wooden Frame Which Extends above the Window Floor, All the Holes Required may be Made in This Frame on the panes, and forms a thin film of ice. Frosting of this kind can be elim- inated easily. One way is to place an electric fan inside the window to throw a current of air against the glass. How- ever, with this method, certain areas of the glass surface, not touched by the air current, are covered with frost, giv- ing the window a spotted appearance. The method described here is cheap and satisfactory. The underlying prin- ciple is to ventilate so that the inside and outside temperatures are nearly the ame. With it, an inclosed background must be used. That is, the show window must be so modified that it is shut off from the remainder of the store by practically air-tight partitions. Thus the background must be built entirely to the ceiling, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In the upper part of the background, window glass can be placed so that light will be permitted to enter the store. Over the lower part of the background, which is built of matched tongue-and-groove stock, a layer of white muslin is pasted, and, for decorative purposes, this may be coveréd with colored crépe paper, wall paper, or cloth. It may also be desirable to divide the background into panels with strips of wood. Then the panels may be tinted any color with a flat oil or water paint. The means which should be employed for providing ventilation will vary with the construction of the show window. Two general types may be encountered. In windows of the older designs (Fig. 1), the glass is set in a wooden frame. With the more modern buildings (Fig. 2), the glass frame does not extend above the floor of the window. Where the window construction is that of Fig. 1, a number of ventilating holes, about %4 in. or 1 in. in diameter, ar« bored, equidistantly spaced in the window frame, as illustrated. A corresponding number of holes is also cut through the upper frame. Thereby, ventilation will b« established, as suggested in the diagram. Fine-mesh screen, similar to that used in the windows of sleeping cars, should bs tacked over the holes inside of the win- dow, to prevent the entrance of dust. During warm weather, battens should be nailed over the holes so as to stop them entirely. Where the window construction is simi- lar to that suggested in Fig. 2, ventilating ducts opening to the outside are provided. Through the top window frame ventilat- MOLES IN WINDOW FRAME 1 GRATING-COVERED OPENING —— AIR INTAKE L SHEET-METAL ELBOW! Fic.2 When the Lower Frame of the Window Does Not Extend above the Floor, Recourse must be Had t Two or Three Large Openings, Covered with Gratings ing holes are bored. The ducts can be as sembled from stovepipe or hot-air furnac: fittings. On the outside, the openings should be covered with gratings. Hot- air furnace register gratings will answe! nicely. The openings in the window floor can be covered with fine-mesh netting or cheesecloth. In dressing the window, these openings should not be totally ob structed, because if they are, the window will frost in cold weather.

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POPULAR MECHANICS PHOTO COURTESY GROVER HOOVE® The Side View Shows the Narrow Weather Boards of the New Structure being Built a Few Inches Away from the Old One. The View of the Front Door Also Indicates the Small Space between the Two Walls, and the Necessity of Having the New Doors Correspond in Position to the Old Ones Building a New House around the Old "THE pictures show how a western man accomplished the rather unusual feat of building a new house on the same ground as the old one without first tear- ing down the latter. The new house was built all around the old one. The owner, who was of course a pro- fessional builder of long experience, first proceeded to dig a trench close about all four sides of the foundation of the old bungalow. These were then filled with concrete, forming a complete new con- crete foundation. The only part of the old house which was torn away before the outward portion of the new one was com- pleted was the front porch. The builder then proceeded with the frame walls for the new structure, these being in some places as close as 3 in. to the old walls. As the walls neared the top, the main difficulty was encountered, for the new bungalow had been planned to have a gable roof built at a different direction from that of the old structure. To over- come this difficulty, holes were cut through the old roof for the new rafters, the ‘holes being temporarily patched against the weather with tar paper. Then, as the new roof took form, the old one was gradually cut away. During this work the family occupied the old home as usual. When the outward structure of the new building was completed, two rooms were finished in the rear, which extended 20 ft. back from the old bunga- low, and these served to house the occu- pants while the old house was torn down It may seem that a great amount of labor was wasted in working under such difficulties, but when it is considered that the amount saved in the labor of moving, and in keeping the floor coverings, car- pets, and other articles intact, was esti- mated at over $1,500, it may be well un- derstood that the owner looked upon the job as a great financial success. Graduated Jaws for Milling Machines It often occurs that the vise is used on the milling machine to mill a flat of a certain width, as shown in the sketch herewith. By graduating one of the vise jaws in inches, the operator can immediately tell when he is right or wrong. Such a method does not spoil the vise jaw for use on other jobs. Old License Plates Save Car Floor It is a common thing to see two holes or ragged depressions in a car floor where the heels rest, just behind the clutch and brake pedals. Old license plates tacked over these places will reduce the wear on the floor, and yet provide adequate support. The rubber mat used on the floor may have a rectangular portion cut out just over this metal floor covering, thus protecting the mat from further wear in that spot, while still covering the rest of the floor.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 123 Steel Wool for Cleaning Glass Lettering or paint on glass of a rough or curved surface is a difficult thing to clean off with either scraper or paint re- mover. A simple method is to shave off as much of the paint as possible with a razor blade, and then go over the re- maining paint with the finest grade of steel wool. This will remove every trace of paint. There need be no fear of in- juring the glass, as the steel wool can be used for glass polishing. Glass in sky- lights, that has become weather-stained through neglect for years, can be made as clean as new glass by rubbing with coarse steel wool, and then polishing with the finest wool—Arthur ]. Kelly, Brooklyn, New York. Breast Drill Hung on Coat Hooks The amateur mechanic generally hangs his tools on the wall by screw eyes, nails, etc., but when he tries the method with a breast drill, he finds that none of these will hold it. If two coat hooks are set in the wall, about 2 in. apart, the drill will hang straight and secure on them. Burning Garbage in the Stove Garbage which collects in the house- hold, consisting sometimes of vegetables, potato peelings, etc., when thrown in a 1 a) stove has a tend- a ency to put the fire out, or at least to inter- fere with its heat. A better method is to build a recep- tacle in the roof of the stove, in which the Al - ) TTT Leys HS tht + Mit; Bat ts 1) yb Shan AC yet garbage may be S AL ~ placed. It will Bisnis Uta ; pn eel then be dried out by the heat of the fire without damaging the fire in the least, and will afterward catch fire and burn itself. An old pan is first secured, and holes of ample size cut all over it. By means of small flanges it is bolted to the outer rim of the lid. In this way the damp rubbish can be placed in the pan by lifting off the small center lid. When the gar- bage has been consumed, the ashes filter through the openings and are removed with the coal ashes.—-J. H. Rodgers, Montreal, Can. Cattle Holder for Dehorning A lock gate for catching and holding cattle while they are being dehorned and marked, is simple in construction. A Gate, Rigged Up So as to Leave Only an Opening Big Enough for a Steer’s Head, Is Useful When the Animal is to be Marked or Dehorned First make a gateway in the lot fence, using not less than 4-in. material for the gateposts. Now nail a 6-in. board on each side of these posts, across the gate at the ground, and also two others across at the top of the posts. Close up half of the opening by nailing boards diagonally to the boards at top and bot- tom of the posts, as illustrated. Get a strong pole, about 4 in. in diameter and 12 ft. long. Sore a hole through its large end with a 1l-in. auger; also bore through the bottom boards, about 8 or 10 in. from the post at the open side of the gate. Let the pole down between the top boards and the bottom ones, and insert a l-in. rod through the bottom boards and the pole. Then tie a 1-in. rope to the top end of the pole. When ready to dehorn or mark a large strong animal, drive him toward the gate. Just as he passes his head by the pole, pull it over against his neck, and he is easily held. There is no danger of his doing damage with his horns, for he can- not move his head.

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A Practical Radio Arc-and-Spark Receiving Cabinet By FRANK L. BRITTIN HE question of buying or making a wireless receiving set is uppermost in the minds of thousands of amateurs today, since the government has removed war-time restrictions on receiving radio messages. The war has broadened the radio field to a really remarkable degree. The ama- teur now wants a receiving cabinet that will enable him to receive from the pow- erful arc stations of Europe, as well as from both are and spark stations of this country. Receiving apparatus that has to be scattered all over a large table is obsolete; the modern receiv- ing cabinet is a thing of beau- ty, an orna- ment to the home. The one here described meets the de- sire of the most advanced amateur. Set up in Illinois, it is sensitive to the long-wave or arc signals from IDO (Rome, Italy), POZ (Nauen, Germany), At Cl, C2, C3, and C4 are shown the posi- tions of the variable condensers for the arc circuit. Rl is the rheostat for the arc-receiver bulb, the bulb being placed directly above it. Double binding posts are used for the phones, so that more than one pair of phones can be connected when desired. The “A” battery, which is a six-volt, 40 to:80-amp.-hr., automo- bile-type storage battery, is used to pro- vide the filament lighting for both bulbs. At R2 is shown the rheostat for the spark-receiving circuit, and the bulb for it is placed above. The “B” battery con- trols are shown at Bl, for the arc side, and at B2, for the spark. Ten three-cell flat- type flashlight batteries pro- vide the plate voltage for the are circuit, and ten for the spark. The “hb” batteries are placed in two banks of 10, each bank con- nected in se- ries. A lead is YN (Lyons, France), and other Euro- pean stations, as well as the large sta- tions of America. The aerial used is a single 160-ft. wire, on the roof of a three- story building. The cabinet is constructed of %-in. birch, or mahogany, and is 141% in. high, 411% in. long, and 9 in. deep. It is divided into three sections. The front of the cabinet is of %4-in. polished hard rubber, in three separate panels. Before drilling these panels, a template of heavy cardboard should be made for each, and the scales for the condensers and rheostats scribed on the polished hard rubber, which is then marked for drilling. Fig. 1 shows the middle, or control, panel; and on this are mounted the battery controls for the “A” and “B” batteries, so-called. (The “A” battery is the storage battery which furnishes the filament current, while the “B” battery furnishes potential to the plate circuit.) The mounting for the bulbs may also be fitted to receive any type of audion bulb. 128 Taking Up Only a Small Amount of Space in the Corner of the Room, the Cabinet Is an Inconspicuous Article of Furni- ture, and If Properly Finished, may Be a Real Ornament taken from the negative side of each of the first nine bat- teries to the upper control rheostat, and the last tap is left dead, as an “off” point. The tenth battery of each bank must be opened, the sealing wax carefully re- moved, a lead taken from each cell and brought to one of the points of the lower four-point switch, for the fine adjust- ment; thus any number of cells up to 30 can be connected in, as needed. All leads from “B” batteries to taps should be placed in the proper position, as shown in the photo, and a thin strip of wood should be screWed to the top of the cabinet to hold them in plece. This allows for the renewing of the “B” bat- teries without disturbing the arrange- ment of the leads. The “B” batteries for both arc and spark are connected in the same manner. All connections are carefully soldered. Two telephone- jack switches of the three-way type are used to throw the receiving circuit from the arc to the spark, and vice versa; if such jacks are not readily procured, or-

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POPULAR MECHANICS dinary double-pole, double-throw switches can be substituted. At each side of the central panel is a smaller one. The one at the left carries the control for the long-wave primary; below it are the two binding posts for connecting the “A” battery. The right panel carries the short-wave primary con- trol; the posts below it are to provide for in additional variable condenser, to be placed across the secondary of the short- wave coupler, if so desired. These panels ire mounted flush with the face of the cabinet, a %4-in. rabbet being cut to per- mit this construction. The joining edges if the panels are covered with a thin narrow strip of nickeled brass, screwed nto the dividing partitions of the cab- net. The back of the cabinet is of seaver board, in three sections, like the front panel, allowing easy access to the ircuits. The “A” battery rheostats, Rl and 2, are of the back-mounted type, and re screwed to the back of the control panel. The condensers are mounted in the same manner. Condensers Cl and C2 are 23-plate ariables, and condenser C3 is a small- ipacity five-plate variable, placed across he long-wave secondary. C4 is connect- d across the phones and consists of 43 plates. This comprises all the con- lensers in the long-wave receiving cir- uit in the electrical diagram, Fig. These condensers must be carefully knife 129 alinement, with a calibrated scale on the The scales are scribed front of the panel. OFF, ON OFF a e e ' et | & ® +] rR2 ij | } - ” A BATTERY | - i J.-S & | a — —————_—s JACKS, J | | 5-PLATE CONDENSER 43°PLATE CONDENSER - t 235 * fic. ' The Face of the Central Panel is Here Represented, with the Symbols and Dimensions Marked upon It into the panel with an engraving tool, and jeweler’s wax is rubbed into them, giving a clear, sharp detail. The primary of the long-wave coupler is 74% by 13 in., and is wound with No. 30 double cotton-covered wire. The sec- ondary is 6% by 12 in., and is wound with No. 32 double silk-covered wire. Both the primary and secondary are wound on heavy cardboard tubing, and are tapped off in the usual manner. The primary of the short-wave coupler is 5 by 10 in., and is wound with No. 22 double cotton-cov ered wire; the second- ary is 4% by 8'% in., and wound with No. 28 double silk-covered wire. The pri- mary tube is 13 in. long, but only wound ymstructed and mounted in correct for 10 in. of its length, as this provides so FIXED CONDENSER | See > ¥ 4 AERIAL ) & § +t—ario Ten GR 0 TH ei BST > | - & | . ‘ > : 7 1h ossiie bd b 61 A || 3 #0 a @g ; | || o = | —— FILAMENT pels | li] \ ”* sl y ) S > B! “— | || 4 ¥ ~—> ¢ .—-—- ] iy ] > > i: =~ =I) eR EN - > ( . [ oo. -—- - wg > 5 or (ae = | | Fan B | | — | | MG a a —— —_— | é AERIAL SWITCH | Ff SWITCH 4 OR JACK _ a. | few ze J | ’ SPARK SIDE Fic.2 ARC SIDE = GROUND The Complete Diagram of Electrical Circuits “Circuits at the Right. : The Spark Circuits are Grouped at the Left, and the Arc The Two Circuits Interlock, However, at a Number of Different Points

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130 POPULAR all necessary inductance. The leads from each secondary to the circuit are brought out through its base. Figure 3 shows the top of the cabinet, with holes cut to take the secondaries of both couplers. The tops of both sec- ondaries are fitted with hard-rubber MECHANICS side of the tube, as shown. The mount- ing of the tubes must be as rigid as pos- sible, and this is best accomplished by slitting the ends and turning out flaps, as indicated. The cap at the top of each tube is made from a hard-rubber switch knob, which is screwed to a small disk F Sta aia conidia, aha or The Large Photograph Shows the Appearance of the Back of the Cabinet When Fully Opened So As t Expose the “B’’ Batteries, the Condensers and Rheostats, and the Primaries of Both the Arc and Spark Couplers. Inspection, caps, as shown in Fig. 4, their edges act- ing as dust-proof covers. The controls for each secondary are mounted upright on hard rubber, as shown in detail in Fig. 5: The elevator device, for raising and lowering the secondaries to obtain the proper coupling, is shown in Fig. 6. Two square, nickeled-brass tubes are _ pro- vided, of dimensions shown, and two pulleys are mounted at the top of each, mounting pins being soldered on the in- The Insert Shows How the “B” Batteries can be Removed and Laid on Top of the Cabinet for or When It Becomes Necessary to Provide New Batteries of hard rubber and is held in place i the top of th tube by a strip of spring brass, bent to form an expanding “U, as shown. A lead counterweight is provided, of proper size to counterbalance each com pleted secondary. The author found it convenient to cut pieces of lead suffi- cient to counterbalance the coil, then after building a wooden mold, to pour th: lead to form a weight of proper shape. This weight will vary according to the

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POPULAR MECHANICS materials used. All the weights are cov- ered with chamois, so as to make the coupling operation noiseless; and the square hole in the base of the secondary coil, through which the tube passes, is lined with leather to eliminate all fric- tion noise. The circuits are all shown in the dia- gram, Fig. 2; little need be said as to the connections for the short-wave side, as they are the ordinary “straight audion hook-up.” To change from arc to spark, and vice versa, it is only necessary to reverse both of the double-pole switches or jacks. The witch at the left controls the phones, and the one at the right the aerial and cround connections. Current is supplied to either filament by closing the two- point switch in series with it. It will also be noted in the diagram that the permanent connection of the aerial is to a single-blade, double-throw knife switch. The connection is made to the blade of the switch; the latter is thrown upward when messages are to received, and downward at other times, so that the aerial is grounded for rotection against lightning. lhe cost of a set such as described will 131 of course depend on how many of the necessary parts are made and how many a) | 784 re LUN : pe [ cd 1 © LONG | SHORT pS TOP OF SEC. a beret LONG-WAVE : 1” ' COUPLER }¢§—___— 415 —. Ficg.3 : TOP OF CABINET hy Te big TOP OF SEC. LONG-WAVE SEC COVER ITT) SHORT -WAVE Fs _ COUPLER me |f @ LEAD 4 Fia.4: Top oF % WEIGHT | | SECONDARY COS, ont ays "sa. 2 “WAVE SEC +1 arass HARD RUBBER ° HARD RUBBER TUBING PANELS BACK OF _ : { SwiTcrH ° —, ° _:| 4 HARD RUBBER Fig.6-petaic or Fie.5: SECONDARY CONTROLS . COIL COUPLING Details of Construction: In Figures 3-6 Are Shown the Shape and Dimensions of the Secondary ountings, and Their Controls are purchased. With a reasonable effort MATERIALS NECESSARY ’ back-mounted rheostats (battery). 2 23-plate back-mounted variable condensers 1 5-plate back-mounted variable condenser. 1 43-plate back-mounted variable condenser 2 3-way telephone jacks + double binding posts 10 small binding posts. IX switch knobs complete, 154 switch points, ~ pieces \4-in. hard rubber, 85 by 14 in. 1 piece 4-in. hard rubber, 14 by 235 in 2 pieces %-in. birch, or mahogany, 9 by 14% in. 2 pieces %-in, birch, or mahogany, 9 by 41% in. 2 1-in. square brass tubes, 29 in. long. t %-in. pulleys. 1 8-in. square piece hard rubber, 44 in. thick or D.P.-D.T. switches. for phones. to save money, it should not be over /5 dollars at the very most. 1 5%-in. square piece hard rubber, 4% in. thick. 1 3 by 4%4-in. piece hard rubber, 4 in. thick. 1 3 by 4-in piece hard rubber, % in. thick. 16 1-in. machine screws (nickeled). 19 1-in. wood screws , 2 % by 14-in. thin brass strips (nickeled). 20 3-cell flashlight batteries. 2 bulb sockets. 1 seamless cardboard tube, 714 by 13 in. 1 seamless cardboard tube, 6% by 12 in. 1 seamless cardboard tube, 5 by 13 in. 1 seamless cardboard tube, 4144 by 8% in, No. 22 double cotton-covered wire No. 28 double silk-covered wire. No. 30 double cotton-covered wire No. 32 double silk-covered wire Protecting Auto Engine from Cold Unless measures are taken to protect an automobile engine during the winter, a great deal of trouble may be exper- ienced as a result of excessive cooling. Spark-plug porcelains often crack when subjected to a cold blast of air while heated by the explosions in the cylinders; the carburetor fails to function properly, and the spark plugs are likely to become fouled with oil if the motor is not kept warm. Tin or sheet-iron shields will go far toward eliminating these difficulties. One of these should be installed on the intake manifold, and shaped so that it protects not only that part of the mani- fold supplying the forward cylinder, but the carburetor as well. Another shield should be attached to the top of the for- ward cylinder, and extended upward and backward to deflect cold air from the spark plugs. In making these shields, a pattern of cardboard should be fitted before the material is cut. Further pro- tection may be obtained by bolting sheets of tin or iron to the inside of the hood in such positions as to close the ventilating slits along the sides. If the entire hood is lined with sheet asbestos, the engine will run efficiently in the cold- est weather likely to be encountered.

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132 Cyclometer Measures Mountain Trails Information regarding the length of certain mountain trails was required for By Pushing a Bicycle Wheel with a Cyclometer before Him, a Pedestrian Measures the Exact Length of a Mountain Trail a guidebook. The paths were difficult to measure by the use of a pedometer, because of the rough ground and the winding of the paths. A measuring instrument was made by mounting a bicycle wheel and cyclom- eter in a discarded front fork. This was fitted with a and a handle. When pushed along the trail, the turn- ing of the wheel is registered by the evclometer, thus recording the exact dis- tance covered by the pedestrian. long shank A Simple Wire Snap A quick-action snap is appreciated by those who work around horses, or who ed often have ropes Py ~ to fasten quickly. . si The sketch shows Press HERE a Snap made from f heavy spring-steel \ wire. It is easily . formed, and fas- tens over a ring or staple with only one motion of the hand. The size can be made to meet requirements, and the work be easily and efficiently done on the farm, or in the home. SPRING-STEEL WIRE POPULAR MECHANICS Low. Wagon for Silo Filling ‘For filling silos, or other work about the farm, a low wagon is often conven- ient. To convert the ordinary high wagon into one of this type the reach is re- moved, and two 2 by 6-in. oak planks, about 16 ft. long, are fastened edge- wise to the underside of the rear axle, about 4 ft. apart. They should be held in place with U-bolts or wire. The for- ward ends are next brought together, and a 2 by 6-in. plank, about 10 in. long, nailed between them. This shorter plank should have a hole drilled through it so that it can be secured to the underside of the front axle by the kingbolt. This V-shaped frame, which will easily carry a,one-ton load, takes the place of the reach. On it, and far enough back so that the front wheels will not inter- fere while turning, a platform, about 7 ft. wide, is constructed of planks. A wagon of this type is so low that, when in use, the fodder may be loaded or unloaded directly from the ground, and without an extra man on top being necessary.—John T. Bartlett, Boulder, Colorado. Clothespin Used as Vise When it is necessary to do work on small articles clothespin makes a very dependable Pass a small screw through the lips of the pin, se- cure it with a wing nut, and fasten the head of the pin with screws, or nails, to a table or win- dow sill. The wing nut makes it possible to make very delicate ad- justments, so that the lips of the pin hold the article steady, while the softness of the wood prevents it from being crushed.—Abel Green, New York, N. Y delicate of jewelry, a vise. Wit i IL Oil Limits Evaporation of Alcohol \leohol, which is considered by some to be the only thoroughly satisfactory antifreezing agent for automobile radia- tors, has the one fault of evaporating rapidly. This tendency may be largely overcome by pouring 1 or 2 oz. of very thin lubricating oil into the radiator. The amount depends upon the size of the car.—Pau! A. Johnson, Rockford, Il.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 13: Coaster Wagons Driven by Auto- cised, however, in applying the higher Starting Motor voltage to a motor built for six volts The photograph illustrates a vehicle used by a Pennsylvania battery expert in carrying automobile storage batteries from one place to another. It is made of two toy wagons, and is propelled by an automobile-starting motor of the single-unit type. The motor draws cur- rent from a six-volt, 80- amp.-hr. storage battery, which is carried in the rear end of the trailer. The motor carries a 19- tooth sprocket, and a 37-tooth sprocket is mounted on the rear ixle of the front wagon, so that the speed is re- duced in ratio of 1.95 to 1. A silent chain, 30 in. Two Solidly Built Toy Wagons, an Automobile-Starting Motor, and a love. transmits the Common Automobile Storage Battery, Are the Component Parts of an »9 : . : Outfit for Delivering Storage Batteries and Other Heavy Objects power, and the current is carried from the battery through 8 ft. of only. It is also very important that the No. 4 copper wire. A two-point switch, wagon used be one which is strongly having plenty of current capacity, is used, constructed, as a cheap toy wagon can one point being connected directly to the readily be broken down by the weight of motor, and the other point to a resistance, one or more storage batteries and the used for starting. With the six-volt bat- wear and tear due to the operation of the tery a speed of from 8 to 15 miles is at- motor. The outfit illustrated is in daily ined with the usual load. A 12-volt use in the delivering of storage batteries battery has been found to give from 1/7 after recharging and repairing, and it is to 22 m.p.h. Great care must be exer- found quite satisfactory for its purpose Mounting for Auto-Horn Button The tube may be bent slightly upward bring the button nearer to the rim of The bracket illustrated, for mounting es aa ; the horn button of an automobile in a . convenient place directly under the steering wheel, is readily made from a om SAWED SLOT | €: SrTTs a= } piece of steel or brass tubing. This is Suaeee } perhaps the most convenient place for the horn button, unless it is placed on the STOVE BOLT steering wheel itself, which causes con- sane SIDES FLATTENED Yen tinual twisting of the wires, and _ is, a COeR oe Og therefore, not to be preferred. The tub- -_ . ihn I 7 . 1i 1 : ‘SECTION OF JZ ORN BUTT . a ing may be % in. in diameter, and 1s STEERING f/f ————— fF slotted for a _ suitable distance from POST fi WIRE 1SLED TROUcN Tuse =| each end. The end to go around the steering column will probably be slotted a apy wero about 4 in., and the other end, to fold out The Horn Button may be Mounted in a Very Con. = ~ “ cate venient Position under the Rim of the Steering for attaching the button, about 1 in. The Wheel by the Use of a Piece of Tubing two wires leading to the button may be , : —e ye it . . > vo oO ee S 4 — twisted around the steering post or, bet- te Steering wheel, if this is found to re ter, led through a piece of conduit down Slt in added convenience. eee Te ULC. Cle RD | tte A button so mounted is always within @Corks which have been used a long reach of the driver’s finger except when time, and do not fit the neck of the turning very sharp curves, and even then’_—ibottle, can be renewed by putting them it is quite easy to find in emergencies. in boiling water and leaving it to cool.

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134 A Collapsible Window Ventilator cold window health in tvpe ot A very great aid to weather is an efficient BEVELED ENDS HELD ——- ~RIGID BY DRAWING WINDOW DOWN { BENT HINGE , BEND HINGES ON THIS SIDE SO FRAME WILL FOLD VIEW FOLDED \ / INSIDE VIEW *-— WIDTH OF ' — WIDTH OF WINDOW —+| | 4*'14 WOOD @ STRIPS w WIDTH OF THESE STRIPS GAME AS Tr'ICKNESS: ~— OF SASH DETAIL A Ventilator Made of Wooden Frames Covered with Oilcloth is Readily Detached and Folded Up ventilator. To leave windows open in cold weather without some device to distribute the air properly merely causes the incoming cold air to settle at the floor of the room, while the warm air rises to ceiling, where its heat is largely wasted. The incoming air should, be deflected upward so that it the therefore, will he warmed by mixing with the warm air in the room. Another objection to leaving windows open in winter without a ventilator is that and snow are quite sure to blow in. The device illustrated is no more effi- cient as a ventilator than some other types. but it has the advantage of being readily taken off and folded up, so that it can be put away in fine weather. The ven- tilator consists of three members, hinged -o as to fold together. The rectangular member is as long as the width of the window, and may be 28 in. high, or less if preferred. It and the two triangular both light f wood, Train frames of covered with oilcloth or some other water- resisting material. At the vertical edges of the triangular pieces are two strips which project above them, and are beveled off at the top to a sharp edge. These strips fit into the groove in which the lower sash works, and the sash, when pieces are POPULAR MECHANICS brought down, clamps them firmly in position, thus holding the ventilator se- curely in place. If the hinges on one side of the ventilator are bent somewhat as shown, the device can be folded up. —F. E, Leitch, Brooklyn, N. Y. Spacing Nails on Boxes Observations of packages which have failed in service and tests on packing boxes by the U. S. Forest Products Laboratory have shown that the most common defect in box construction is inadequate nailing. Attempts to strengthen boxes by the use of thicker lumber, without regard for nailing, very often only wastes material. The extra wood may not be needed so much as a few more nails. Nails holding boards to the end grain of the box end should be spaced 1%%4 in. apart, and nails holding boards to ‘the side grain of the end, 2 in. apart, when nails are 6-penny, or less. Increase the spacing 44 in. for each penny over six. No board should have less than two nails at each nailing end. Space the nails holding the top and bottom to the sides 6 in. or more apart, when the nails are 6-penny or less, increasing the spacing 1 in. for each penny over six. While such spacing may appear to be too close, it actually calls for only about two-thirds of the number required to balance the strength of the nailed joints with the strength of the box in other respects. With the spacing given above, the nailing is still the weakest point of the ordinary box. Convenient Drawer Lock To prevent young children from upset- ting the drawers of sewing machines and desks, a bent rod can be mounted as illustrated. The rod, or stiff wire, is bent to a right angle at the top, and kirks_ are made in it which project into holes cut in the sides of the drawers. A shallow groove on the top of the desk allows the level end of the rod to sink into it, preventing it from turning except, when lifted.

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POPULAR A Stain for Glass Windows Window staining, for privacy or other purposes, can be quickly and cheaply done at home without calling in a pro- fessional workman, The only materials required are white shellac, dye of the desired color, and waterproof varnish. For a white window, which admits light, but which is not transparent, coat the glass carefully with white shellac, dis- solved in alcohol. After the shellac is dry, apply another coat, if necessary; then, after drying again, cover with the waterproof varnish. Such a window can be washed indefinitely without removing the stain. Colored windows are made by mix- ing ordinary cloth dyes into the shel- lac until the desired shade is attained. lor instance, for photographic dark- room use, mix orange and crimson dyes into the shellac until it is very dark. Cover with varnish when dry, as with the white coat. This forms a durable coating which can be washed, and which is not difficult to remove with alcohol. It serves the purpose, and costs much less than stained glass—J. Horace Van Nice, Chicago, II. Double-Mesh Screens for Durability Ordinary window screen must be re- placed in from one to four seasons, de- pending upon conditions. Changing them spring and fall always damages them more or less. By covering the regular wire mesh with another piece of screening having a larger mesh, such as 4 in., the screens will stand much more abuse, and often last as long as 15 seasons. This more than pays for the additional cost. Chalk Holder Made from Cartridge A large-caliber cartridge is readily made into a handy chalk holder in the. manner illu s- Yo CHALK trated. The small spana end of the car- tridge shell is split in three places, and aé_ knurled Cees ring with a ta- pered hole is made to fit onto it, so i \ that when it- is RING SLIGHTuy TapeRED Insiog «=PUShed on, the chalk is held. \ coil spring inside the shell pushes the chalk out when the ring is loosened. MECHANICS Arbor, Bushing, and Gear Press A useful and easily constructed bush- ing and gear press, for use around the SHORT LENGTHS OF SHAFTING BARS TO SLIP + UNDER SMALL GEARS fy IRON CROSS 7 PIECES SXS"HARD- . WOOD POST ‘» 2"x 6"PLANK ~~ ~~ am, ™ ~ ~ . ~ A Substantial Press for the Small Shop, Not Unpleas- ing in Appearance, can be Built Around Parts of an Old Cider Press small-town garage and on the farm, may be made in the manner here described. An old cider-press screw, complete with its handwheel and crossarm, is obtained at a junk yard. Next. two hardwood posts, about 5 in. square, are secured, and the crossarm is mortised into these and firmly bolted; this should be about 5 in. from the top of the posts. Now screw down the handwheel, as far as the threads will allow. Mortise two heavy iron bars into the posts, one on each side; the top edge of these should be about flush with the lower end of the screw. These bars are to hold the work to be pressed. Short bars may be placed at right angles to the long ones, to accommodate small work. Short lengths of shafting of different sizes should be kept handy, for pressing out shafts from gears. When pressing in new bushings, the new one should be placed on the old one; the new bushing thus pushes the old out as it takes its place.— Fred W. Page, Winfield, Kan. @ For giving a white coating to work that is to be laid out for drilling, used carbide makes an excellent substitute for chalk. Before using, draw off the water so that it will be about the consistency of paint, then apply evenly with a fine brush. When dry, the surface is ready for marking.

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136 A Mechanical Mystery with Tubes Two tubes are first shown to be empty, by passing one through the other and 7 A Simple Device Is the Hook over the Tube, Yet One Which can be Made Very Mysterious then exhibiting each in turn to the audi- ence, who can see right through the tubes. Yet, at command, various articles are removed from the interior of the tubes, such as potatoes, handkerchiefs, dishes, fruit, or anything the performer desires to produce. The trick is very simple, as the “load” is merely hidden in one of the tubes, while the other is exhibited. The articles to be produced, such as an assortment of fruit, are put in a handkerchief or tied together with string, and suspended in- side one of the tubes by means of a hook that protrudes over the top as in the illustration. Both tubes are the same in height, but one is a little bit narrower than the other so that it can pass through it. The articles are suspended in the smaller tube which stands on the left side of the other. First the larger tube— the empty one—is picked up and shown to be empty, by holding it up so that anyone can see right through it. Then pick up the smaller tube, being careful not to let anyone see the inside of it, and Jower this tube down through. the larger one. As the extending hook reaches the tube, it will catch on so that the suspended load is lifted from one tube to the other. Now the smaller tube can be shown empty. Then produce the articles; as each tube was in turn shown empty, the pro- duction of fruit will be mystifying. The small hook cannot be observed unless the audience is too near, and at the end of POPULAR MECHANICS the trick, this hook should be removed under cover of some of the articles pro- duced. Then the audience can examine the whole affair—Clarence T. Hubbard, Hartford, Conn. Auxiliary Cells beneath Floor Boards When occasion arises to add four or five dry cells to the equipment of an auto- mobile, for the purpose of auxiliary igni- tion, it is not always easy to find a con- venient location for them. To stow them under a seat frequently means to en- croach on space that already is very limited, and a satisfactory alternative is to place them under one of the floor boards This can be done by removing the board and nailing a small box to the lower sur- face, to be used as a container for the cells. The wire leads can be brought out through one small hole in the board. When the cells are to be renewed, the board is removed from the car, and the container is opened by raising one of its sides, which is fastened to a hinge, and so ° forms a lid. This construction makes it unnecessary to cut a hole in the floor board to provide access to the container, so that the strength of the floor is in no way impaired. Cooking Bracket on Gas Jet Where it is desired to keep water or food on a gas jet, great assistance can be furnished by a wire frame which fits into the shade holder, as_ illus- trated. The frame should be made of stiff steel wire, and the lower ends of the two U-shaped pieces may be soldered to a ring of the same wire, which is formed to the same size as the base of the shade. It is then firmly setscrews which Runge, Elmira, gripped by the same hold the shade—F. W. New York. @ Long-necked vases can be cleaned by filling them with hot water in which small bits of paper have been mixed, then shak- ing vigorously. The wet paper removes the grime and sediment,

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POPULAR MECHANICS Tomato Foliage as Insect Killer It has been proved that there are prop- erties in tomato foliage which have a de- structive effect upon blight of various kinds, especially plant lice. There is gen- erally an abundance of this foliage in kitchen gardens, and good results can be obtained by doing no more than plac- ing some of the leaves upon blight-in- fested plants; but it is, of course, more jractical to make a solution for spraying. sruise some of the foliage in a pan, pour on boiling water, and add more leaves intil the solution is of a deep-green color. Let it become tepid—not cold—and spray the plants abundantly. The preparation may be used without restriction as to quantity, since it is harmless to vege- tables, though very effective in destroying blight. It loses its power in a few days, but fresh supplies can be very easily pre- pared.—S. Leonard Bastin, Bournemouth, ] ngland. Chains Pull Tire from Rims \n easily constructed and easily car- ried tool for the removal of split rims from automobile LINKS ON HOOKS PROVIDE . a : FOR ADJUSTMENT tires is made from two. 15-in. pieces of chain, and a short piece of gas pipe. After the latch holding the ends of the rim together is knocked loose, the two hooks on DIRECTION OF PULL the ends of the Lay R'm HOOK chain are at- g : tached to oppo- site edges of the rim. A pull, in the direction indicated, on the end of the pipe quickly loosens the rim from the tire. Adjustments for the various sizes of rims can be made by providing hooks on the pipe, to which any length of the chain can be attached. The removal of a rim from the casing is not an easy job in any case, but a tool of this type makes it much easier than when it is attempted with ordinary tire tools—G. A. Luers, Washington, D. C. HOOK IN GAS PIPE— Copper ash trays may be made by pounding the edges of the copper plates upon which announcements and invita- tions have been engraved. Besides hav- ing imterest as souvenirs, they are very durable. 137 Wagon Axle Used as Gate Hinge On almost every farm can be found an old wagon or implement wheel with its PART OF WHEEL BURIED INTHE GROUND An Old Axle, with Parts of the Two Wheels Remain- ing upon It, Forms an Essential Part of This Easy-Working Farm Gate axle. The illustration shows how it cat be made to form one side and a very effective hinge for the farm gate. The axle is set upright with the slats of the gate bolted to it. The lower end of the axle should be fitted with an old hub to serve as a bearing. The hub on the upper end should have at least one spoke re- maining in it, so that the latter can be thrust through a hole bored in the gate- post. Some stout wire, or iron strips will be necesary to hold the hub up against the post—H. F. Grinstead, Co- Mo. lumbia, Rail for Coat Hangers \ very convenient method of hanging wearing apparel in a clothes closet is her: described. Make two wood blocks of th dimensions shown, and drill a hole 97/7 ====S= through one end of each, the size A fp OKS of an eight-penny 3 a wire nail. Pusha Q | nail through each Neat EDGE OF : hole and drive it ’ _ into the square- [| geet cut end of a broom handle, or other similar round stick. Fasten the rack so formed to the outer edge of th closet shelf by driving two nails through each block, as shown; it best to sink the blocks flush with the edge of th shelf. Clothes hangers can be hung and freely moved on this rod, and the method is more convenient and economical o! space than the practice of hanging o1 wardrobe hooks, besides being a_ time saver at moments when one is usually i: haste.—\VW\. H. \WWileox, Los Angeles, Calii EER BF

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POPULAR Air Filter for Tractors One of the things that tractor opera- have to contend with is tors the dust TIN SOLDERED IN PLACE —DISKS CUT OUT OF TIN ‘a AND SOLDERED / TOGETHER . WIRE BRACE— A Flannel-Lined Spiral, Along Which the Air Circu- lates, Acts as a Filter, Retaining Small Particles of Dust which collects in the carburetor. Un- der ordinary conditions the tractor is running in fields which yield hot, dust- laden air. A screen over the intake port sifts out the larger particles, but does not stop the small ones, which eventually collect in the bow! of the carburetor or, getting by, remain in the cylinders to cut and wear down their smooth sur- faces. A simple air sifter which removes practically all the floating dust, while in no way retarding the efficiency of the motor or carburetor, is here described. The materials required consist of some old baking-powder cans, some stiff steel wire, a little wire screen, and 4 yd. of cotton flannel or some old husking mit- tens. — Using a can about 3 in. in diameter and 6 in. long, cut a hole in the cover, 2 in. in diameter, and solder over it, on the inside, a piece of wire screen, as shown. Six disks are cut from scrap tin, sach of the proper size, to fit rather snugly in the can. These are all pro- vided with a %4-in. hole in the center, and a cut is made from the rim to one side of the hole. Now bend each disk in the form of a spiral, and solder the consecutive ends together, so that when completed, the six disks will have the form of a complete spiral, making six turns. with a l-in. space between each turn. To hold this in shape two wires are run through holes drilled near the edge MECHANICS of the disks as shown, and are made secure by slightly bending or upsetting at the ends. The spiral should fit into the can so that each end nearly touches the ends of the can, being kept separated by the projecting ends of the wire. When this has been finished, cover the upper side of the spiral with glue. Make. six disks of the cotton flannel, of the same size as the tin disks, and glue them to the spiral, making one continuous surface of cloth on the intake side of the spiral. This flannel is the agent for col- lecting the dust, and is cleaned once or twice a day, if the conditions are bad, with a small brush. A toothbrush will do the work nicely. For the carburetor connection, a short length of pipe made of tin is sol- dered to the other end, or bottom, of the can, and slipped into a piece of hose, which is connected to the carburetor. Wire, or lengths of light strap iron, may be used to hold the filter in place. It may seem that, with the central hole in the spiral, the air would simply go direct to the carburetor through this opening, but as a matter of fact, after being drawn through the first hole of the spiral, it spreads and is deflected against the sides of the spiral. There- after it travels about the spiral path, and is in contact with the flannel all the way until it reaches the carburetor.—Dale R. Van Horn, Lincoln, Neb. Shop Tray Made from Nail Keg A nail keg, cut down as indicated in the sketch, makes a handy tray for use in the shop. Two of the staves are left full length, and between their upper ends a a board is fastened for use as a han- dle. The carrier is handy either for carrying tools or materials about the shop, or for keep- ing parts from getting lost when a ma- chine is being taken apart. Ss Svan meee \ Winall a Hennes Eliminating Matches from the Shop In cases where smoldering matches are apt to set fire to oily waste, or other inflammable material, a light may be had, for pipe or cigar, by holding the wick of a candle close to the gap of an or- dinary knife switch, carrying a light cur-

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POPULAR MECHANICS rent, while -openimg it slowly. After using, the candle may then be put away on top of the switch box for the next comer.—Philip A. Wall, Bedford, Mass. Several Methods of Discouraging Automobile Thieves Theft of an automobile can be pre- vented by removing indispensable parts of the ignition mechanism. Those most easily carried away are, of course, the ones to select, such as the ignition fuse, which can be slipped into the owner's pocket, while a blown fuse takes its place to confuse the thief. Another part easily arried is the the distributor head, which is keyed onto its shaft, and onsequently can be slid back into posi- tion without disturbing the timing. Spark oils are more cumbersome, but these be removed from the coil and ocked in the baggage compartment, if he car is equipped with one. There is ttle difficulty in mterchanging the wires leading to the spark plugs, but where this done, the owner must be careful to readjust the leads before cranking. A ecret switch can be installed between the ttery and the ignition switch, the best nd for the purpose being the small snap ariety used on lighting circuits, which be hidden under the ledge of the beneath the instrument board on the dash. If there is a gang witch with individual pull buttons for lighting and other circuits, the wiring can e changed in such a way that the names tamped on the plate indicate wrong cir- + rotor on box 1 lront seat or to which the car ts dis- he probability of a he thief, and any part to duplicate is the Not many automo- large stock of inter- ) ingeable acces sories On the degree ntled depends t quick repair job by t vhich he is unlikely best one to remove hile thieves carry DETAIL OF SQUARE For Sqpetiee the Faces of Mitered Molding, a Pecul- iar Try-Square Fulfills Requirements tor Which the Ordinary Square Is Not Fitted The miter box cannot be relied on to produce work accurate enough for all cases, and it becomes advisable to have a special type of square which will take care of this condition. Such a square is shown at the right of the drawing. It is made by attaching a T-shaped piec« of stiff sheet steel to a block of hard wood. The block must be very carefully calipered, so that the 144-in. dimension will be correct all over the block, and the two 2 by 3-in. faces must be accurately planed. The principal requirement for cutting out the steel piece is that the two edges A and B must lie in a straight line which is perpendicular to the 2 by 3-in. faces of the block.—Henry Simo: Laguna Beach, Calif. Pencil as Mounting Roller Mounting photograph prints when the mounting roller has been mislaid may be found difheult task. A good sub- stitute for the roller can be found in a large pencil, of the kind used as mark- ing pencils, and a flat wooden rule Place the print in position on the mount, lay the pencil across it at one end, and lay the ruler over the pencil, at right an gles. Then roll the pencil up and down the print by moving the ruler back and forth, applying pressure above.—EIlmer O. Tetzlaff, Chicago, Tl.

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140 Blueprint-Paper Sensitizing Device The writer had occasion to use a large number of quite small sheets of blue- RECEIVING ROLL A Small Apparatus Like This Enables One to Prepare Blueprint Paper in Narrow Rolls, as Required for Special Purposes print paper, and constructed the appara- tus illustrated, so as to sensitize his own paper at a fraction of the cost of the commercial product. The paper used was the kind sold in rolls, for use in adding machines. This paper is about 2 in. wide, and can be bought for a few cents a roll. As shown in the drawing, a felt roller makes contact with the sensitizing solu- tion, and carries it to the paper. This roller is made by compressing a large number of white-felt washers between metal disks at the ends of a threaded rod. The roll is then set between centers in a lathe or grinder, and finished off smooth with sandpaper, or an abrasive wheel. Above the felt roller is a plain wooden roller, which is adjustable, so as to hold the paper firmly against the felt roller. The smaller rollers are also made of wood; near the lower one, two strips of heavy white felt are mounted, so as to brush the surplus solution from the pa- per. Of these, the one farther to the left is made adjustable, so that it will leave just the right amount of solution on the paper. The paper-supply roll, at the right end of the drawing, runs free on its axle; the receiving roll, at the left, may be driven by a hand crank, or by a small motor through a worm drive. Between the rest of the machine and the receiving roll, the writer installed a 5-ft. tin box, open at the ends, through which the paper was drawn, while a cur- rent of warm air was blown through it by a small motor blower. This insured POPULAR MECHANICS thorough drying before the paper was wound up. The fluid used for sensitizing consists of two solutions, made separately and mixed together only for immediate use. The first is a solution of 10 drams of potassium ferricyanide in 4 oz. of dis- tilled water; the second is 15 drams of ammonium citrate, similarly dissolved in 4 oz. of distilled water. The addition of 4% grain of potassium bichromate to each ounce of the mixed solution will im- prove the keeping qualities of the paper. The complete process’ should be con- ducted in a dark room, or one with very little light, and the apparatus should be thoroughly washed after use. Metal parts which come in contact with the solution should be coated with shellac or asphal- tum varnish, to prevent chemical action which might ruin the solution —Henry Lb. Graves, Jr., Rochester, N. Y. Chair. Seats of Paper Nearly every household possesses a few chairs of the cheaper type, with seats made of light veneer, or with papier- mache, or fiber substituted for leather. Such material is a little fragile, but is easily replaced when broken. For in- stance, the heavy cardboard of which many shipping boxes are made is quite strong enough for the purpose. Cut a seat of the same size and shape as the broken one, and fasten it in position with round-headed tacks.—Jack Solon, Vicks- burg, Miss. Reflector and Protector for Lamp An automobile owner, who had oc- casion to use an electric light on an ex- tension cord, for repair work at night on his car, constructed t he illustrated device in a few minutes. A bright tin fun- nel was placed over the wire, af- ter this had been disconnected from the socket. The fun- nel opening was secured to the light wire with tape, and several pieces of wire ex- tended over the outer end of the bulb for protection at this place. One end of this END OF WIRE MADE HOOK SHAPE, TO HANG LAMP BY TIN FUNNEL wire was bent up to form a hook, by means of which the light was hung. Such a light concentrates the rays on the work being carried on under the car.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 14) Extension Handles on Petcocks To overcome the inconvenience of opening automobile valves and petcocks, short extension handles made of 4-in. gas pipe are valuable. For the shut-off valve on the gasoline tank, the radiator drain, and the oil-level petcock, such handles are fastened to the valves by slotting the ends of the pipe, drilling holes in the valve handles and the pipes, and then securing the pipes to the valve handles by the use of small cotter pins. lhe extension pipe handles are carried to convenient places in the dash and floor, and, in the case of the radiator drain, through the side of the engine pan. These extensions permit opening or closing the es without reaching under the car. A Simple Steam-Jet Pump A steam pumping jet, while not very efficient compared with a reciprocating pump, is nevertheless useful in many places where a pump is not available. lhe illustration shows how to make one, at a very small S NIPPLE REDUCER, COSt, which should handle about 120 gal. per minute. In the ends of the 2-in. cross tee, place reducing fittings so as to take 14-in, and l-in. pipes, respectively. Cut a long thread on a 14-in. nipple, and screw t into the 4-in. reducer, until it almost reaches the center of the cross tee. Screw a, l-in. nipple into the opposite side until the ends of the nipples are not over 1% in. apart. Connect a 2-in. suction pipe to the bottom of the tee, and place a plug in the top. Such a steam jet will give good satis- faction on various temporary pumping iobs, and will handle mud and _ sand, which would soon wear out the valves of the reciprocating pump. Heating the Soldering Copper without a Torch The soldering copper is a useful addi- tion to the tool equipment of the auto- mobilist, but without means of heating the iron it may as well be left out. Leak- ing tanks, pipes, radiators, and many other defects may be quickly repaired by means of solder and a hot iron, and there are various ways of heating the tool, whether the work is done in a SOLDERING BRAZE A ree © we AL ' he —o )) BRASS wint PAN }| TW SEAL ~»|| JOINT a ‘a 24 > - TT PAN FOR | ALCOMOL j } | & — } CASOLINE (SC : ad BLOCK | 1} WITH FLAT | PAN / END FOR BASE —— = q / | lem) } i Lag i \ =a... f \ eal a+ OPPER | A \ ab ‘| : GASKET FROM j \ —e eB SPARK PLUG == ae } A Soldering Copper with Its Own Heater Attached will be Found a Useful Article in the Tourist’s Tool Box garage or on the road. A _ vulcanizer, if one is carried, will serve in an emer- gency, it being merely necessary to pour in an ounce or so of gasoline, ignite it, and prop up the iron in such a position that the flame will envelop the copper. lf, vever, no vulcanizer is carried, th« cup or ld of a can may be used for the alcohol. still better lf. ho gasoline or But a scheme is to carry 1 soldering iron with a fuel holder per- manently attached. The problem in at taching such a holder is to make it leak and heat-proof, up to the temperature which will be produced in it by the burn- ing gasoline. This temperature is hig allow of soldering; the holder should therefore either be brazed on, as shown at the upper right in the sketch, or attached with nuts, as shown below. The latter method has the disadvantage of requiring a long thread to be cut, thus weakening the stem, but it may be an le method where no. brazing is available. A large wooden base, « too ly + il tO admissible torch with a flat bottom, will enable the solder- ing copper to stand upright while being heated. Heater for Hydraulic Test Basin On a 1iob where a trough of cold wa- ter was required for testing purposes, trouble was experienced during cold weather from the freezing of the water. Phe trouble was remedied by installing an ordinary soft-coal stove near by, with a coil of pipe built into it, and two pipes leading from the ends of the coil to the upper and lower parts of the trough, ré spectively The water thus circulated through the stove and the trough.

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142 POPULAR Swinging Tool Racks or Shelves Where shop space is at a premium, a great deal can be saved by hanging LAG SCREWS SWINGING BOXES - Racks or Boxes Containing Bits, Drills, or Small Metal Stock, can be Kept Very Handy by Suspending the Racks on_a Long Metal Bolt $PIPE BUSHING WASHERS things on the wall in compact racks. The drawing shows how a large number of bits, screws, or other small parts, can be kept in boxes, or racks, hung on a long vertical bolt, attached to the wall or to a post. A few iron angle pieces will be required—also some washers and 15-in. lengths of pipe to separate the va- rious boxes or racks. Boxes used for this purpose must have a block in one end, through which the bolt passes. Cords Keep Drawings in Place Unless drawings are firmly secured to the drafting board, they are in danger of tearing loose, or BLUEPRINT being blown -—{SCREWEYES .. sake = away by a cur- rent of air from an open window, during the drafts- man’s absence. The sketch shows a method of hold- ing the drawings or board cover in place. Three or more strong hemp cords’ are fastened at equal intervals at the top of the board. They should be of sufficient length to pass across the board, and hang over the edge several inches. A little cloth bag, filled with lead shot, or other heavy material, is tied to the end of each cord. These weights serve to draw the cords taut; they are thrown aside when the board is in use.—Kenneth Coggeshall, Webster Groves, Mo. MECHANICS Tin Chloride Removes Rust A rusty metal rule may be made silvery white in color by allowing it to remain overnight in a saturated solution of tin chloride in water. Rinse the tin solution off the rule by holding it in running water. Dry with a chamois, and keep it in this improved condition by the use of oil. The solution may be kept for future use—W. S. Standiford, Youngs- town, Ohio. Reaching Device Made of Clothespin The handy pick-up device shown in the illustration is one that can be easily and quickly made, a oe and such a tool is Q\ FROM A DIECE valuable to the mo- \\\ %& je SMEF torist for reaching in- ' \ to the depths of his splash pan, and about the parts of the en- gine, for a lost screw, nut, or cotter pin. It is also handy for storekeepers, for reaching for small ar- ticles in the show window, and is use- ful in many other lines, A spring clothespin is secured to a stick of hard wood, by means of two serews through one leg, and is operated by means of a stout cord, or piece of piano wire, passed down one side of the stick, and worked through a hole, the cord be- ing connected to the outer leg of the clothespin. A handle for pulling the cord is made from a piece of sheet %e-in. iron, as shown in the detail. * CLOTHESPIN —— Slotted Nail as Polishing Reamer A very handy polishing reamer for use on small work can be made by sawing a slot in a nail a little smaller than the hole to be polished, setting a small piece of fine emery cloth in the slot and bend- ing it around the nail. Such a reamer is useful in places such as the bearing of the rocker arm in a magneto timer; with it the bearing can be easily polished— J. Magis-Frankart, Ouffet, Belgium. @ Food-chopper clamps will not work loose if a piece of coarse sandpaper is placed, rough side up, under the upper side of the clamp.

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TATTLE TT OROMTT TT TTC TE THEN TUTTO

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Information as to where to obtain any specified ull ’ th materials or parts for making objects described in Wig the following pages may be had, on request, -

from our Bureau of Information.—Editor. Protected Feeding Boxes for Birds By E. W. VERY large number of game birds are “ killed every year by cold and starva- tion, especially in late winter and early pring. In summer and fall, the birds do their duty so thoroughly in devouring insects and farm pests, that there is noth- ng left for them to feed on when winter comes, and the idea that they are all aved by migration is now definitely proven a fallacy. Hlunters and farmers will be well re- for putting out a few “bird lunches” for hard-pressed birds, when snow and winter storms prevent them from forag- paid ng. Almost any box will serve the pur- pose. It should be mounted on a post everal feet above the ground, so that the feeding bird will have some chance of escape from preying animals, and so that cats and dogs will not find the food too easily. The box shown in the photo- graph is perhaps a little too near the ground, but it has done duty for two easons, and many birds have been ob-

The Simplest “Bird Lunch” Consists of a Box Mounted on a Post. But Even It may Bring Cheer to Many ‘Feathered Friends” served enjoying its contents. It is 24% it. long, 1 ft. deep, and 16 in. high. Birds will find these lunches more eas- ily, if they have grown accustomed to the locations before winter blizzards ar- RANSTON rive, but the provisions will not b: wasted, even if the feeding station is not PEG VAY < y . i} 3 4 4 j i y wer

More Elaborate Provision for the Birds’ Comfort may Include Wire to Keep the Food from Falling Out, or a Vane to Keep the Wind from the Shelter used till the middle of winter, as som hungry bird is sure to find it some time during the season. About once a week the lunch box should be replenished. Corn and grain will make the best winter diet, but grit of some kind should always be placed with the food. Occasionally, a bird, with its crop full, has been found dead in win- ter, simply because it could not find th necessary grit with which to grind its food. Table [ any kind may be used, but they should be chosen — ~1 scraps of aimost from among the varieties that are least likely to harden by freezing. If the box is placed on the leeward side of a large evergreen tree, it will have some protection from storms, and the birds will have a better chance to eat in safety. Where the foliage is really heavy, corn may be placed on the ground until snow comes, but, after that, the box 143

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144 POPULAR must be used. The height of the pole, on which the box is placed, depends, to some extent, upon the customary depth of snow in a locality, but it should al- ways project at least 3 ft. above the snow level. As an alternative, a container may be placed on a tree trunk, as shown to the left in the drawing. It can be made of two slabs of wood nailed together at right angles, one of them forming the floor and the other the rear wall. A net- work of wires gives it the form of a cage, and keeps the food safe from cats and other animals. A container of this kind, replenished occasionally with suet, has done good service in preserving the lives

MECHANICS of birds which could not obtain insect food. The shelter shown to the right is an- other interesting design. It is pivoted so that it will turn easily, and is pro- vided with a vane that will always keep the closed side toward the wind. In order to make it balance perfectly, a large nail should be driven in the closed side near the middle, where some weight, such as an old horseshoe, may be hung. The pivot is a long bolt or rod, driven into the top of the post, and passing through holes in both bottom and top of the shel- ter. A guard of tin should be nailed around the post supporting the shelter, to prevent inroads of mice or by cats.

How to Make a Square Paper Cap To make a paper cap of the kind still worn in some shops, cut a sheet of paper about 16 in. square, fold it along both diagonals, and spread it open again. The point where the two creases intersect is the center of the square. Fold one corner so that the point falls on the center of the square, and open it out again. A short crease will now be visible, crossing one of the diagonals. Fold the same corner again, but this time

Cc | K. RECTANGULAR BASE a IA Fia.4 A B A 8 Fic.5 Fig.6 ‘oy Fic.7 Fis.8

In Eight Successive Steps a Paper Cap is Made ight Enough to Stay on the Head, and Loose Enough for Comfort bring the point to the center of the short crease just made. Keep the point down in this position, and fold the paper again along the short crease, so that the point is hidden under the flap. Then do the same thing to the opposite corner, so that the paper will appear as in Fig. 1. The shortest of the creases are marked AB and CD respectively. Turn the sheet over, and do the same thing to the other two corners, so that the paper will appear as in Fig. 2. It will be noticed that the act of inverting the sheet has caused AB and CD to exchange positions. Keep the paper the same side up, and fold it along the lines CD and AB, so that it will appear as in Fig. 3. Two flaps will now meet at the center, along EF, with a rectangular base below them. Turn one of the flaps over on the other, as shown in Fig. 4, so that CD and AB coincide, and turn down the two distant corners, so that their points rest on the line EF. Then turn the flap back again over the folded corners, restoring CD to its former position, and repeat the process with the opposite side, making AB coincide with CD, as shown in Fig. 5, and turning over the two nearest corners so that their points will lie on EF. Fold back the flap over the turned- down corners, so that AB returns to its former position, and we obtain the kite- shaped object shown in Fig. 6, with a slit running down the center. Insert the fin- gers into the slit and pull outward. but be careful not to loosen any of the folds in doing so. The result will be the hol- low-shaped object appearing in Fig. 7. Crease the corners, and a square cap is formed, as seen in Fig. 8—F. H. Sweet, Waynesboro, Va. @Tron will not rust if coated with a paste made from linseed oil and whiting.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 145 Water Distilled in Partial Vacuum In laboratories where only limited funds are available, the problem of obtaining distilled water readily in gallon quanti- ties is very difficult. The accompanying diagram shows an irrangement which makes it possible to boil water at low pressures—hence cor- c LARY TUBE TO WATER MAIN ——~——>} ( : ~ \ ', GLASS TUBE - ASPIRATOR f 4 : L_ ( (| Vi WATER BOILER Nas OUTLET, | COOLING f TANK —— / ls \ 1 j 1 \ * | AT en ’ = —_ | aaa oe TEAM CONDENSER AND RESERVOIR An Aspirator, Operated by the Same Water Which Cools the Reservoir, Makes Possible the More Rapid Production of Distilled Water respondingly low temperatures. If good ressure is at hand in the water-supply in pipes, an aspirator can be operated maintain a vacuum of about one-fifth an atmosphere, in which about 190° temperature is required to produce team. This steam or vapor is readily condensed, since not much of a tempera- ire change is required, and collected in ‘ condenser and reservoir shown in the gram. The water used to operate the pirator is used to cool the condenser vessel. if a capillary tube is placed in the boiler o that its lower end is below the water, nd as near to the bottom as possible, ir will bubble up through the water. This will increase the rate at which water dis- tills more than 25 per cent, and the dis- tilled water is also aerated to some extent. (his arrangement can be set up very read- ily and operated, with very little attention, by one of ordinary experience.—J. Gar- rett Kemp, Stillwater, Okla. Ring Held on Tie by Cork A finger ring can be worn on a four-in- hand necktie without danger of its slip- ping off, if a small cork is inserted be- tween the ring and the tie back of the latter. The cork should fit snugly, and should be pushed into place with its smaller end toward the knot.—Forrest Benson, Boulder, Colo. Cue Tips Valuable as Bumpers Discarded leather cue tips, which may be obtained for the asking at any pool room, serve to prevent damage to walls if glued to the backs of picture frames before the pictures are hung. When ap- plied in the same manner to the bottom of a small phonograph, the tips are ex- cellent substitutes for rubber rests that have become unserviceable. A Rapid Circuit Interrupter In electrical experiments, as, for in- stance, in working with induction coils, it is often interesting to have an instrument for making and breaking a circuit rapidly. Such an instrument, in order to be most useful, should give a ready means of calculating the number of makes and breaks per second. The illustration shows how a breaker can be made from some scraps of wood and wire and ordinary wire nails. The nails should be located equidistantly around a circle of any con- venient size, and a stick pivoted at the exact center with a very light contact spring attached. A metal sheath, tacked to this revolving stick, makes an electri- cal connection from the spring to the center screw, through which the current is carried to a wire underneath the board, 7 STRAP IRON } -NAILS Hei 2 eee Se ee —— =i \ | + \ = =\ _— pi — a & i = ———— 2 \ SE es = — SPRING hd An Instrument Made from Wire Nails and Scraps of Wood and Copper Wire Forms a Circuit Interrupter for Experimental Use and thence to the binding post. To the other binding post is attached a piece of solid-copper wire, which runs underneath the board to a hole through which it comes up; it is then wound with one turn around each one of the nails, returning finally to the start and completing a circuit of wire which connects all the nails together. The revolving stick is provided with a crank or handle, and can be turned any desired number of turns per second. Multiplying this number by the number of nails gives the number of interruptions per second.

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Homemade Dry-Battery Cells By R. R. HENDERSON AN ordinary dry battery is fairly easy to make, without much difficulty or expense, if the proper procedure is fol- lowed. The most common size is known as the No. 6, which is about 2% in. in diameter and 6 in. high; a sectional view of it is shown in the sketch. It consists of a zine container with a carbon pole, which runs down the center through a depolarizing mixture, and the sides of the container are coated with an electro- lyte paste. The depolariz- ing mixture must be kept carefully separated from “Wax'S the zinc wall, by means of a sheath of blotting paper. rere If contact takes place, the LEAD result is an internal short circuit, and the _ battery = rapidly loses strength. The container serves as one pole of the battery, and is made of No. 10 gauge “Reo'4 rolled sheet zinc. The top is open, and the disk which S PAPER DISK BINDING POSTS of flour. Dissolve the ammonium chlo- ride and the zine chloride in the water, and add flour to make a thin paste. The purpose of the depolarizing mix- ture is to absorb the gases given off at the carbon pole of the battery. If these were not absorbed, they would cling to the pole and increase the resistance to the ‘passage of the electric current, thus cutting down the capacity of the battery. The ingredients are as follows: 13 oz. of manganese dioxide, 10 oz. of carbon or ground coke, 24% oz. of graph- ite, 2% oz. of ammo- nium chloride, 1 oz. of zinc ae chloride, and 3% oz. of oe water. Of these six in- gredients, the first four are mixed together till they form a fine powder, while hee the zinc chloride is dis- solved in the water. The solution is then stirred into the powder to make a very ie stiff paste. All six com- ey \) ponents are easy to obtain. The manganese dioxide can be purchased from = any BN wholesale drug firm, and ti the carbon may consist of forms the bottom must be / Ee soldered tightly to the sides, (The so as to prevent any chance oe | of a leak. A small binding aN post is soldered to the Bp upper edge. siete The central pole is a hard-carbon rod, about 5 in. long and 1 in. in diame- ter. The carbon rod from * a worn-out battery may be used, or an ordinary arc- PAPER DISK oo ELECTROLYTE PASTE BLOTTING PAPER a DEPOLARIZING MIXTURE The Construction of a Dry Cell Presents Little Difficulty, Most ground electric-light car- bons (first freed from any trace of copper) or ground soft-coal coke.. These two should be in the form of a fairly fine powder. The light carbon The latte of the Materials being Easily rraphite z > ase ght carbon. The latter, Geesiacl in eur Wiese graphite may be purchased however, is likely to be in powder form at most coated with copper, and this must be hardware stores, and thé ammonium carefully removed with a file or sand- pafer, as the presence of iron or copper in the interior of the battery interferes with its action. A small quantity of melted lead must be poured into a hole drilled in the top of the carbon, and before it hardens, the end of a brass bind- ing post must be inserted, so that it will be firmly imbedded when the lead cools. The paper sheath, or lining, consists of several layers of blotting paper. Cut a number of disks, about 2'% in. in diame- ter, and also make a tube, several layers thick. The outside diameter of the tube should be about 214 in., so that it will fit loosely in the container, and the tube should be long enough to come within 1% in. of the top. The electrolyte paste consists of 4 oz. of ammonium chloride, 1% oz. of zinc chloride, 1% pt. of water, and a quantity 146 chloride and zinc chloride at a drug store. To assemble the battery, first coat the bottom of the container with the electro- lyte paste. Then soak the 21% in. blotting- paper disks in some of the paste. Place the disks, well soaked, at the bottom of the can. Coat the outside ef the blot- ting-paper tube with the paste, and also the inside of the zine casing; insert the tube in the casing. There will thus be a layer of electrolyte, abovt ¥% in. thick, all around between the blotting paper and the zinc. Then tamp in about 1 in. of the depolarizing mixture at the bottom of the tube. Place the carbon rod in the center, and tamp in the rest of the depolarizing mixture around it, until the container is filled to within 1 in. of the top. Tamp the material hard, but be care- ful not to break the blotting-paper lin- ing, as this would render contact possible

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between the zinc and the depolarizing mixture. Then cut a disk of blotting pa- per about 2 in. in diameter, with a hole in the center just large enough to allow the carbon rod to pass through, and place it on top of the mixture. The battery is then sealed by pouring hot wax above the upper disk. This wax may be composed of melted rosin, with a little tallow added. \ mixture of asphaltum and coal tar may be used if these materials are available. Screwdriver for Tight Places An ordinary screwdriver may often be useless, owing to lack of space in which to use it. In such mamsneose circumstances, some plan must be adopted to make a_ screw- driver to suit the close quarters. In one such ex- perience, a _ disk was first made, and the edge was knurled, so as to permit a good grip on it. Short blades of various sizes, tapped out for a small screw to hold them, com- pleted the affair. When assembled, it took up very little room, and accomplished the needed work very quickly and satis- factorily—J. H. Moore, Toronto, Can, SQUARE HOLLOW IN ONE E OF DISK FOR BLADE Tire-Repair Shelf for Auto For patching inner tubes when out on the road, a convenient device is to have a little wooden shelf, or work- bench, which can be clamped by a wing nut to the door of the car. The shelf also forms a very con- venient place to mount a_— small vise, if it is neces- sary to do a little filing or drilling, or if a vise is re- ~ a| —— it FELT " «i Peay DETAIL OF BENCH quired for hold- INNER TUBE ing any small part to be worked on. The shelf can be removed very quickly, and takes up but little room in the tool box.—P. P. Avery, Garfield, N. J. POPULAR MECHANICS 147 Small Photographs Mounted in Celluloid With a little practice in the necessary manipulation of thin celluloid, it is not PHOTO FILM READY TO PLACE ON BUTTON BUTTON, PHOTO, AND FILM PLACED IN RAG AND TWISTED TO FORM FRONT BACK COMPLETED BUTTON By the Use of Some Old Photographic Film, Any Small Photograph can be ounted on a Button, with a Transparent Cover difficult to make over an old campaign or union button into a new button with any small picture or photograph desired. First, scrape off the old celluloid and design, and remove the pin and binding ring from the button. Cut the photo- graph or other small picture in a circle, slightly larger than the button. To cover it and hold it in position, use celluloid prepared as follows: Clean off the gela- tin coating from an old piece of thin photo film, by soaking it in hot water. Cut out a round piece, a little larger than the button, and place it in enough alco- hol to cover it. Denatured alcohol can be used, if caution is observed not to bring it in contact with a cut in the skin, or into the mouth, as this kind of alco- hol is poisonous. After soaking for a few minutes, the celluloid becomes pli- able. Work a large dent in the center of it with the thumb, to fit the curved sur- face of the metal button. The celluloid hardens quickly when removed from the alcohol, so that it may be necessary to soak it three or four times. Now fit the photograph to the button by placing them together, wrapping a handkerchief, or rag, around them, and twisting the latter as illustrated, so as to turn the edges of the photo around the edges of the button. Remove the cloth, transfer the celluloid quickly from the alcohol onto the button, and again twist in the cloth. Put in the binding ring and run a sharp-pointed knife around in side the ring to cut off the surplus cellu- loid. If the binder ring, in being replaced, is obstructed by the celluloid, the latter may be softened in alcohol. While the celluloid is being twisted on, cloth and all may be dipped in alcohol to soften it Replace the pin and let the button dry In appearance it can then hardly be dis- tinguished from a manufactured button.

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GET;

OX of the great joys of winter is coasting and sledding, but the first is denied boys who have no coasting hill, and the second is not nearly so much fun unless there is some sort of a hill. But by building two sleds into the very simple motor-driven bob illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the thrills of speeding over the snow can be enjoyed in any locality, whether hilly or not. The only material required which is at all expensive consists of two sleds, a motor wheel, some canvas, and a few automobile parts, which may be obtained from junk dealers or wrecking houses. The Running Gear The two sléds should be of equal size, and should be equipped with round iron

Li ue MOTOR -DIAVEN WOW S) PLLDST, LR # ye “CMAs / then ot the rear-sled deck are flush with the inner sides of the 4 by 4- in. blocks. sawed off The base plank, detailed in Fig. 4, forms the connecting link between the two sleds. Preferably, it should be clear, straight-grained, hard pine. One end is rounded off, and section is sawed out of the rear end to take the motor wheel leaving two projections from the main plank, not unlike the tines of a fork. Some distance back of the front end of the plank, on its center line, bore a hole for the turning bolt. Bolt two exten- sions to the sides of the plank, along its central part, which will bring the total width at this portion to 23 in. In its center, cut a slot for the lever which operates the brake and clutch, as de- scribed below. In Fig. 5 is shown the construction around the turning bolt. One of tw oak blocks is bolted to the deck of the sled just forward of its

seen a aren & sz, EE | center, and the other to i sao | the underside of the - emiting OO 2 aise (E te ee ae plank. Two large iron Fenn a ee a —$== bs tt tween the blocks, to in- VAST 2” See « Vise Sassi ~ Qa sure clearance between MN . SS aan ¢ a : the bolts in the plank YY \*- oe and those in the front — i ataaateaaes ape sled. The nut on the center turning bolt ‘eon PANEL ‘aor H PANEL

po Eanes eee ['\\ ster pee~ 77 CANVAS COVERING should be set up only EE ST tA fra _ x1"STRINGER loosely, and should then Se THAN ‘ | - rs in | jan = at || es Oh be held in place by a a ole <<“ P< af = a cotter pin, a castellated 1] ky alma r nut being used, if pos- =e ee sible, for this purpose. — a The large hole through << = — the center of the lower = ——== = == = = — —E - — = MOTOR WHEEL. block and = sied_ deck Fig. 2: ELEVATION should be made a very Here Is the General Construction@f the Speedster, Including the Steering loose fit for the turning Gear and the Control Arrangement by Which One Lever, in Addi- tion to the Spark and Throttle, Starts and Stops the Machine runners. One of them is kept whole for the forward truck, while the other is split in half, lengthwise, and the halves are bolted through 4 by 4-in. blocks to the long plank that forms the base of the body, as shown in Fig. 3. The halves 148 bolt, so that the front i sled can follow irregular- ities in the road without any difficulty. The Body Three wooden panels are used to form the body; the construction of these is il- lustrated in Fig. 6. Round off the top of

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POPULAR MECHANICS each to give shape to the “bonnet.” The front, or “radiator,” panel is fixed at the forward end of the plank, and braced by a right-angle block at the base. The two larger panels are placed at the ends of the widened portion. The sides of this sec- tion are boxed in by nailing on two pieces of wood, of the shape given in Fig. 7. The curved side effect can be obtained by bringing canvas up over these sidepieces to the top of the panels, cutting out the circular shape with a knife, and bracing the

149 inclosed. Just under the triangular block supporting the radiator panel, is a stout oak crosspiece for the steering tiller. This is shown in Fig. 1. Fasten a swivel pulley to each end of the tiller, and lead a stout rope from each end of the sled through these pulleys to the ones on the

——— FS FV.—__e—— 3 FT.—4 Be +t SLOT ‘ +r : se : : — ——s — L

“™ SIDE EXTENSION Fig. 4.8ASE PLANK STIFF WIRE -

Le t : - . 2 £3 . CANVAS — canvas with stiff wire. LE a= My The forward and rear 2S Ss) Son — sections are also covered i \ Es 8 —— ef ‘ ° = = ——— = —— } ; “ with canvas, . stiffened s=>-| SS 4 ° ” s - between the panels by a . ” : te 36” 4 ’ . . . RADIATOR DASH AND SEAT ight stringers, ribs, and PANEL:ONE PANELS: TWO Fis.7. eves ; . . REQUIRED REQUIRED TWO RE hoops of thin, springy : Fic.6: PANELS er wood or wire. A stout Fie.5: TURNING BLOCKS central stringer is run Axi2"strap inoN — LEVER CONTROL long the top of the front section, and an- other, bent by steaming, is run along the top of the rear section, coming

WIRE CABLE TO MOTOR -- — ——————$ : —— ==) <I SHEET*IRON ~ —<. —— —

down to a= short rib stretched across the plank projections. The other end of it runs to the top of the seat panel. To these string- ers are attached the hoops and ribs. Four lower stringers will be required for attaching the lower edges of the canvas cover. Two of these ire mounted in front and two in the rear, and serve to give a smooth shape to the body. In the rear section, it is advisable to have a segment of the canvas cover easily removable, so as to ‘get at the motor wheel when necessary. This seg- ment may be fastened to the lower stringers by automobile-curtain fasteners. _ When the framework of the body is fully set up, paint it thoroughly before covering; then stretch 8-oz. duck over the front and rear sections, using copper or galvanized tacks. Begin along the top stringer and gradually pull the can- vas down around each form and away from the center. Steering Gear and Controls Before covering the framework, how- ever, it will be necessary to install the steering column and controls, as_ this cannot very well be done with the frame

Fic.8:POWER PLANT ORAG: | WOOD 4 IRON _| Fic.9: BRAKE Various Details of Construction: Only a Few Manufactured Parts Other han the Motor Wheel are Required plank opposite the drum on the steeriag column. The steering ropes should cross each other, as shown, otherwise the tiller will have to be so long that it is likely to get damaged. The steering column, shown in Fig. 2, may be taken from a discarded automo- bile. The forward end rests in a pipe flange bolted to the face of the trian- gular block supporting the radiator pane! A wooden drum, provided with flanges at both ends, is pinned to the column, and on this the steering rope is wound. The upper end of the steering column rests in a hole bored at the proper angle through the dash panel. A second tri- angular block and flange, on the rear side of the dash panel, add to the strength and appearance of the steering column, and a cotter pin, bearing against a strap- iron retainer on the front of the panel, keeps the column from being pulled up- ward. A seat is built against the seat panel; it may be made from an old automobile

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150 seat or can be built readily from two wide boards, covered with canvas, and stuffed. The back should be inclined slightly for the comfort of the user. The Power Plant The motor wheel should be attached in such a manner that it can be removed easily and quickly and put to other uses. A piece of strap iron, bent double, and having the ends again bent back so as to form a “T,” will provide a hanger similar to the arrangement found on a bicycle, and will answer the purpose quite well. Such an arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 8. Drill two bolt holes in each arm of the “T,” and a hole in the shank to receive the pivot pin of the motor wheel. Then bolt the “T” to the head of the opening in the plank, and attach the motor wheel as shown. This arrange- ment allows the motor all the play neces- sary, and it can be removed easily by raising the rear sled from the ground high enuugh to enable one to reach un- der and take out the pivot pin. Bring the spark and throttle controls of the motor wheel through the seat panel to the steering column, and place them in a convenient position. The driving wheel is raised from the ground by the movement of the lever which operates the brake. This is shown in Fig. 9. The lever itself is a brake lever complete with a_ ratchet, taken from an old automobile. To its lower end is attached a wooden board, shaped as shown, and covered on the bottom edge with a strip of iron, which should be fairly heavy. Bolts should be run up through this drag piece, the heads being below and the nuts on top, so that the bolt heads and the iron strap will form an effective braking surface when forced down against the snow by pulling back on the lever. No dimensions are given for this drag, as it will be easy to lay out the shape freehand on a stout board, after the framework of the sled is built. To the rear end of the drag is attached a small wire cable, which runs over a pulley, and is attached to the motor wheel. This cable should be made of such length that, when the control lever is pulled back, the first effect will be to lift the motor wheel from the ground, which is equivalent to releasing the clutch of an automobile. As the lever is pulled farther back, the drag brake is forced down against the snow. Care must be taken, in proportioning the drag and attaching the cable, to see that the cable clears the seat panel. When the control lever is in POPULAR MECHANICS its extreme forward position, the motor wheel must bear with its full weight on the ground. Finishing When the motor and controls are in- stalled and the body frame covered, give the canvas two or three coats of paint of suitable color. This can be striped and decorated as desired. Lights will also be necessary for night driving. When the paint is dry, the speedster is ready to be taken out on the snow. It can be started by pushing it along, run- ning at the side until considerable head- way is obtained, and then lowering the motor wheel to the ground. This wil! start the engine, and the rider hops aboard. Another way is to raise the mo- tor wheel from the ground, start it by hand, then step aboard, and when the motor has attained good speed, gradu- ally lower it to the ground. The speed which can be expected from such a vehicle is not high ‘enough to cause any great concern to parents. It depends chiefly on the smoothness of the snow. The speedster is not intended for heavy going through soft snow, and when such is encountered, it may be necessary for the occupants to get out and push. But on smooth, hard-packed snow, espe- cially with the wind in a favorable direc- tion, the young motorist should be -able to work up enough speed to give him plenty of excitement. An Airplane Weather Vane Not content with building a scale model airplane, one boy enthusiast hung his model by a cord from a wire stretched between two trees. The suspending cord was attached so that the plane hung ex- actly level, when there was no wind. When the wind blew, it could be observed doing banks, turns, and occasionally loop- seas ac j - oie j ' —, Hung from a Wire Which Is Not Visible from the round, a Model Airplane Forms a Weather Vane Which Attracts Much Attention ing the loop. As the wires were too small to be visible from the road, the presence of an airplane in the sky attracted a good deal of attention from passing motorists.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 151 A Toy Electric Motor Truck The size of this little car, made largely from toy building-set parts, may be judged by the cigar box which forms the body part of the truck. There is a cen- terboard running under the body, which supports the motor in front. This is Lifelike Motor Truck, Which will Run All around the Room, is Made from Building-Set Parts, a Toy Motor, and Some Dry Cells screwed to it, as is the cigar box. The four wheels, which are about 3 in. in diameter, are grooved, and attached to small blocks of wood. The front block is stationary, while. the rear one swings round so that the truck may travel about in a circle. The driving bands are of %-in. rubber, which does not slip as string would, and has no knots. The power from the mo- tor is transmitted from the small pulley to a larger grooved wheel supported from the same base. At the other end f this same axle, a cogged wheel en- rages a larger cogged wheel on an axle just below, upon either end of which are small brass pulleys. Rubber bands run from each of these small pulleys to the large drivewheels, sinking into their grooves out of sight from the side. The power thus attained is such that the truck runs along very well on either car- pet or bare floor—Harry B. Bradford, Washington, D. C. Metronome for Timing Prints When a clock or other suitable timing device is unavailable, a metronome may be used in a photographic dark room as a timekeeper for printing and developing processes. It also is valuable for regu- lating the length of exposures when pic- tures are taken. The machine can be set to indicate seconds by ifs ticks, or to run at practically any speed desired.—Al. Schaal, Red Cloud, Neb. To Observe the Height of a Cloud On a day when the air is clear except for a few small, white clouds moving through the sky, it is sometimes possible to see almost directly the height of these clouds above the ground. If, for example, a boy is standing on a hill, in a position such as is illustrated, and can see a cloud and its shadow, the latter thrown on some broad stretch of level ground, or, better still, on the sur- face of a lake or river, then the circum- stances are very favorable for calculat- ing the height of the cloud. The observer should first station him- self so that some tree or post is in the same vertical plane with himself and the cloud; that is, so that he can sight the latter directly over the top of the tree. He should then estimate the horizontal distance from the cloud shadow to the line along which he sights the cloud and Sighting a Cloud Directly above a Near-By Post or Tree, a Boy can Form a Fairly Accurate Estimate of the Height of the Cloud above the Water tree, this distance to be taken parallel with the shadow of the tree. The hori- zontal distance of the cloud from its shadow may thus, for example, be es- timated to be half the width of the river, or twice the distance between a certain tree and the opposite bank. The relation between the height of the first tree and its shadow is then esti- mated, and this ratio, times the horizontal distance of the cloud from its shadow, will give the height of the cloud. No great accuracy is possible by this method, but it is interesting nevertheless.

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Nail Sets Make Handy Tools After a nail set has been worn until it is too dull for further use for its orig- inal purpose, it can be made into any one of sev eral tools. COLD CHISEL V-JOINTER A Numberof Useful Tools can be Made from Worn-Down Nail Sets by the Use of a File, or, in Some Cases, of an Abrasive Wheel To make the gouge, a groove may be made with a file, the tool being annealed before this operation, and hardened and tempered after it. The jointer, awl, and the cold chisel are made in similar fash- ion, except that the last two are more readily adapted to forming on the stone, thus avoiding the annealing process. On any of these tools, an ordinary file han- dle can be readily mounted, if found convenient. Several tools can also be made interchangeable in the same han- die. If the hole in the handle becomes worn so large that the tool can no longer be held firmly by friction, one of them can be cemented in with glue, and a new handle made for the others. Electroplating Nonconducting Surfaces In many cases the copper coating de- posited on an aeroplane propeller tends to blister or peel after a time, due to warping or shrinking of the wood when exposed to the weather. This is a serious defect which may be overcome by fol- lowing the method outlined. The article to be plated is first chem- ically cleaned, and then, after being sus- POPULAR MECHANICS pended by two wires attached at distant points, is given a coat of shellac or col- lodion lacquer. If shellac is used, a 40- per-cent solution of silver nitrate in equal parts of water and alcohol is prepared. When the object is thoroughly dry, it should be dipped in this solution; then set aside to dry again and a second coat- ing applied. If collodion lacquer is used, the silver nitrate should be dissolved in ether and alcohol. The solution, in either case, may be applied with a fine brush in- stead of by dipping. When this stage is completed, the sil- ver is next reduced by exposing the arti- cle to the fumes of sulphureted-hydro- gen gas, first making sure that the sus- pending wires make a good contact with the coating. This may be done by plac- ing a drop of silver-nitrate solution at each of the two points and applying a few grains of powdered iron sulphate. Another method of reducing is by the use of iron sulphate in a finely divided state. If this course is decided upon, the article should be suspended over a saucer containing a few lumps of iron sulphide. To this is added a little sul- phuric acid, and the whole is covered by inverting a box over it. After a few minutes’ exposure to the fumes, the arti- cle is ready for copperplating. In case a silver or nickel coating is de- sired, the article should be taken from the copper bath and rinsed. Then, without allowing it to become dry or touching it with the hands, it should be transferred immediately to this new bath. When sufficiently coated it should be gone over with a scratch brush, then polished and lacquered in the usual manner.—A. P. Jones, Bremerton, Wash. A Motorcycle Valve-Cage Repair When the threads holding a motorcycle valve cage were broken out, a collar was fitted over the cage by tap- ping three holes into the cylinder head, and fasten- ing the _ collar with cap screws smeared with red lead. This coliar held the cage in place, making what seemed to be a permanent. and entirely satisfactory repair—Malvin C. Metzer, Silver Creek, Neb.

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POPULAR To Prevent Curling of Photo Mounts Mounted photographs have a tendency to curl, with the print on the concave side; and when many mounted prints are kept together, the curves make it difficult to arrange them in neat piles, as each size has its own particular curve. The difh- culty can be overcome by pasting a sheet of strong paper on the back of each mount, making the sheets a trifle smaller than the mounts. When the paste has dried, the mount will lie very nearly flat.— Fred C. Davis, St. Joseph, Mo. Electric Lamp Made from Vase A very pretty lamp was made from an ordinary colored vase, by running a light into it from the bottom. The hole through the bottom was made in the The vase was turned and the bottom covered hole was made in this down to the sur- face of the glass, large enough for the lamp cord to pass through eas- following manner: side down, putty. A with ily. A small amount of lead was then melted and poured into the hole in the putty. Before the heat had time to spread into other parts of the glass, the lead was re- moved, and the vase quickly im- mersed in water, breaking out a round, smooth hole. From a hardwood block a suitable base was made, and the wire was run through a hole in this, matching with the hole in the bottom of the vase which was then attached to the block with glue. The cord was brought up to the top of the vase, where the socket was connected to it. Klectrician’s tape was wound on the closed end of the socket. It was then pulled down to its permanent position. If the bottom of the vase is too thick, a hole for the wire may be made through the side. The effect can be heightened by providing a shade made from parchment or colored paper. Or the wire may be placed out of sight, and the vase’s unusual use will be apparent only at night. A subdued light is produced by the lamp, which is especially suitable for a bedroom. MECHANICS 153 Doll-House Chest of Drawers _ A chest of drawers for a child’s room is made doubly interesting, if painted to E i ui ') ie t Ir A Chest of Drawers, to Accommodate a Child’s Toys and Games, can be Wiade to Represent a Realistic Doll House doll house. with black windows, such a chest will look very realistic. Window balconies of the doll house serve as drawer handles. For play, each drawer becomes a room or floor in the house. The drawers are especially useful in that they furnish a place to store the toys and games. resemble a Painted white Egg Holder Made of Gas Mantle A unique ornamental holder, well and eggs which is adapted for table use, can be made from the frame of an in- verted gas mantle, after the mantle itself is worn out. The _ legs that hold the mantle to the _ burner form quite ex- cellent feet, on which the queer ege holder rests. —Florent D. Feltz, Hacken- sack, N. J. (If the windshield of an automobile is rubbed with a piece of chewing tobacco, the vision through the glass will not be obscured by moisture in rainy weather, according to one motorist.

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POPULAR A Good After-Dinner Trick Here is a good after-dinner trick that requires no apparatus or special setting to perform. It can be done sitting at the dining table. Hold a fork in one hand, and with the nails of the thumb and first finger of the other hand, snap the tines of a fork together so they will vibrate. A high - pitched The “Electricity of the Body” is Declared by the Performer to Increase the Sound of the Fork, But _the True Explanation Is Much More Plausible buzzing sound will result. Then, still holding the fork, as at the start, reach over with the other hand, and place the thumb and first finger in a glass as shown. The buzzing will change entirely to a slow, low pitch, which is very perceptibly different. It will appear that the fingers must vibrate, and that placing them in the glass causes the difference in the sound. The most amusement will be afforded if it is not passed off as a “trick” at all. Just pick up a fork, snap it and ask the people at the table why placing the fin- gers in the glass makes this difference in the tone. They will say that they do not know—may be one or two will try to give some reason for it. In any event they will pick up a fork and try it theni- selves, and be very much surprised to find that the result is not produced when they do it. Then the performer can tell them it is the electricity in his body, and . show them that if they let him hold the fork while they snap it, and place their fingers in the glass, the same result will be produced as when he did it entirely alone. The trick is very simple, in fact so much so that they can stand all around the performer and never see it. The trick is this: When holding the fork, hold MECHANICS it in the hand so that the end of the handle will be just off the table; then when the fingers of the other hand are placed in the glass, a very slight move- ment of the first hand will bring the end of the handle into contact with the table. It is this touching the table with the fork that causes the change in tone. A person can have lots of fun with this trick, as it can be done anywhere. After the people get really curious, put the fingers in a china cup instead of the glass, and the tone will be still lower. This is done by pressing very hard on the table with the fork—S. B. Royal, Philadelphia, Pa. Garden Table Rests on Tile Pipe A tile pipe, buried several inches in the ground to give it stability, makes a good standard for a garden table. A round block is cut to fit, not too tightly, the bell end of the pipe, but reaching a few inches below the bell portion. It is nailed to the center of a square or round table top, and forms a handy garden table.—James E. Noble, Toronto, Canada. Centering Irregular Round Work Even with common forms of center gauges and centering heads, difficulty may sometimes be experienced in finding the approximate center of a piece of stock for turning, es- pecially if it is considerably out of round. The il- lustration shows a simple method of accomplishing this. The largest diameter of the piece to be cen- tered is measured with a rule, and a circle which should be drawn to just the same, or slightly larger, diameter is made on a piece of paper, the compass needle being thrust well through the paper. The block is then placed exactly over the cir- cle, and its position is adjusted so that the irregular space between its edge and the circumference of the circle will be as nearly of the same width at all points as possible. Keeping the piece of paper in this position, a pin or prick punch is placed in the center hole of the circle and a mark made through the paper on the wood. This gives an approximate center.

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POPULAR MECHANICS Rotary Pencil Sharpener Uses Safety-Razor Blades Discarded safety-razor blades are some- times used to sharpen pencils, but with varying results, since it is hard to hold and use them properly. The drawing shows a rotary sharpener which makes effective use of the blades. The blades can be changed quickly when dull, and the harpener is not very difficult to make. ‘our blades are mounted on a wooden disk, 4 in. in diameter and ¥% in. thick, by means of screws and washers. These hold the blades firmly, yet allow them to be readily exchanged for others. The blades should be set with half of their length beyond the edge of the wooden disk. A 4 by %-in. bolt is used for the shaft, the wooden disk being held firmly between two nuts on the bolt. The crank ; made from a piece of wood, and is made solid with the shaft by the use of a cotter pin which passes through both of them. wooden handle is fastened to the crank with a bolt. Since the blades are danger- ously sharp, the support for the shaft is niade into a case of wood and sheet metal, which covers the sharpening disk com- pletely. When the sharpener is assem- bled, the shaft is placed through holes drilled in the sides of the case, and is held from slipping sidewise by washers and cotter pins. The pencils are fed to the blades through a short metal tube, which is at- tached to the case by a small piece of tin, ome solder, and tacks, at such an angle that the end of the pencil comes under the blades at the proper position for harpening. This tube should be %e in. inside diameter, to enable pencils of all ordinary sizes to slip down, so that they in be turned freely. No arrangement made for turning the pencil, as this would make the construction too com- lex; the operator can easily turn the pencil by hand while sharpening it. He hould not start turning the handle vigor- ously until he is certain that the pencil has been thrust no farther than the right depth; by a little experimenting he can tell its position from the resistance which t offers to the blade. For the base, a cigar box is preferable, as it is just the right size. The lid is nailed down tight, and one end is cut out, so that a small drawer may be fitted, in which the shavings drop so as to be easily removable. For a drawer handle, use a small screw eye, a round-headed holt and nut, or even a spool. When the case is screwed to the top of the box, the } 155 sharpener may be painted, and is then ready for use. If desired, the device may GUIDE DRAWER FOR SHAVINGS Four Old Safety Razor Blades, Fastened to a Wooden isk, Return to Usefulness as a Practical Pencil Sharpener be fastened to the top of a desk or table with screws or a clamp. Shades Made from Paper Cartons Attractive shades for incandescent lamps can be made from cartons of the kind commonly used to pack cereal foods and other’ groceries. These cartons may be round or rectangular, and either shape can be given a very ornamental appearance with very little trouble. In the bottom of a box cut a central hole of the same diameter as the neck of the globe, so that, when the latter is unscrewed and the carton fitted to the socket, the shade will be held firmly in place when the globe is once more in position. Before cutting the design on the carton, it is a good plan to cover it with white paper, on which pencil marks can be easily made. Scroll- work of almost any variety is possible, the only condition being that sufficient solid card must be left to give strength to the shade. After the design | been cut, paint the outside of the lantern with gold or silver paint, and paste pieces of bright- ly colored tissue paper inside, using sev- eral tints. Then fix the shade on the socket, and screw the globe into position. nas

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156 To Prevent Loss of Tripod Screw Nearly every photographer has had the vexing experience of finding that he has lost the screw out of the head oi his BASE OF > os HEAD TRIPOD LEG END OF SPRING GROUND OFF FLUSM WITH SCREW SPRING FITS INTO SLOT IN SCREW SHOULDER KNURLED END OF TRIPOD SCREW SLOT CUT IN SCREWS SHOULDER HOLDING SPRING TO TRIPOD nEAD TRANSVERSE VIEW | aon —— * THREADED END ENGAGES | ¥ ~] CAMERA BASE = SPRING L/ i LEG *KNURLED END OF SCREW The Screw is Held by a Spring, So That It may be Turned Freely to Attach the Camera, but cannot Fall Out tripod about the time he is ready to “set up” for some shot that cannot be se- cured without it. Like most of the rest, I had this experience once, then decided not to get caught again in the same manner. The screw was taken out of the head ind put in the lathe, and a groove was turned just below the head, as shown in the sketch. A length of clock spring was then ground to engage with the groove in the screw, as illustrated. Holes for two screws are best punched in the spring, without annealing. A study of the as- sembly drawing makes it plain that the tripod-head screw thus attached cannot fall out—John Edwin Hogg, Los Angeles, California. A Metal-Expansion Thermometer The illustration shows a metal-expan- sion thermometer which any boy can construct from simple materials. First cut a block to the size indicated. Obtain an old 10-in. hacksaw blade, and get from a hardware store a strip of zinc of the same dimensions as the saw blade. With a gas flame, draw the temper at one end of the blade, so that two screw holes can be drilled. Solder the steel and zine strips together, and screw them to the block, as shown. POPULAR MECHANICS A sewing needle is then mounted in a strip of tin cut from an old can, as indicated. The holes for the needle are made with a small, sharp nail, and the needle should fit quite snugly. A silk thread is fastened to the free end of the zinc-steel strip, then wound around the needle several times, and carried over to a spring which is attached at the other side of the block. The spring may be made by winding small wire, of steel, brass, or any other springy metal, around a nail, then slipping it off and bending hooks on the ends. A second needle is attached by means of solder, or sealing wax, to the top of the first needle, to act as a pointer. A dial on which the temperature is read is glued to the tin strip underneath this pointer. The dial may be merely a paper protractor, marked in angular de- grees; a table is then made showing what temperature is indicated by each degree mark. Or by comparing the in- strument with a good mercury thermom- eter at various temperatures, pencil marks can be made on the dial, to read directly the degrees of temperature. The operation of the instrument de- pends, of course, on the principle com- monly used in thermostats: unequal ex- pansion of metals such as steel and zinc. A drop of thin oil placed on the bear- ings of the vertical needle will be an improvement, and the thread should also be soaked in oil to prevent alterations PAPER PROTRACTOR hich A Toy Thermometer, W will Give Quite Accurate Readings 7 of Temperature, is Made from Some Strips of Steel and Zinc, Operating, by Metal Expansion, a Pointer over a Dial HACKSAW BLADE AND ZINC STRIP in its length, which would arise from varying amounts of moisture absorbed from the air.—L. Pyle, St. Louis, Mo. The Comical Melting Teaspoon A great deai of amusement is afforded by fusible teaspoons, which may be made as follows: ; Melt about 4 oz. of bismuth in a crucible, and when fused, throw in 2™% oz.

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POPULAR of lead and 1% oz. of tin. These metals will combine and form an alloy that will melt at a very low temperature. Form some of this into teaspoons, by the use of a mold, fotmed in clay or plaster of Paris from an ordinary spoon. They have a bright appearance, and if well made, will not easily be distinguished from other spoons. Placed in a cup of tea, such a spoon will slowly melt and sink to the bottom of the cup; or if the tea is not hot enough to melt it, it will bend considerably, to the astonishment of the victim. Care should be taken, of course, to see that he does not forget there was a spoon in the ip, and take the melted metal in his mouth—which, however, he is not likely to do.—M. W. Hale, Osborne, Kan. ( An Easily Made Hatpin Holder A very useful gift which a boy of me- chanical bent can make for his mother or sister is shown in the picture. A 15- in. piece of common lath forms the body of the hatpin holder, and it is ‘ae Gases covered by very 1S MADE thin brass, about No. 30 gauge. his brass can be handled almost as easily as heavy paper. Cover the lath with this brass, using it just like wrapping paper. Secure 1 BRASS-HEADED TACK the edges firmly o ~ BEND TO on the back by ~ MAKE POCKET means of a few smooth tacks. “BEAD EDGE Smooth down ir- regular corners with a light hammer. A pretty beading can be added by running the edge of a closed pocketknife along the edges of the “package,” as shown. The sharp ends of the pins rest in a lit- tle V-shaped compartment, which may be cut from the same thin brass. The edges are beaded with the pocketknife, and the piece is tacked to the brass-cov- ered lath with a small brass-headed tack. A loop of the thin brass is fastened around farther up, in much the same way, to keep the pins from falling over. Put a small screw eye in the top of the lath, clean the brass with brass polish, and paste on a neat paper back to cover the tacks—F. H. Sweet, Waynesboro, Virginia, MECHANICS 15% A Toy Stove That Really Cooks The average girl soon becomes dis- gusted with the ordinary toy cookstove. because it is merely a make-believe which Electric Lamps inside the Toy Stove Furnish Enough Heat to Cook Something More Than Mud Pies looks more or less like a stove, but never is hot. But let her see the heat circles rising from the stove, and she will neve: tire of it. To convert the common toy from heat less to electric is not usually satisfactory, since the toy was not made for such use. But an easily made electric toy stove is within reach of most people. The ma terial used for the stove itself is sheet iron, with the corners crimped or riveted together. Only the heating surfaces of the stove should become very hot; so all others are lined inside with asbestos sheeting or asbestos paper. All the heat is supplied by two 25-watt electric lamps or, if the reservoir is not really to be heated, one lamp will be sufficient. It the illusion is to complete that small cooking operations can be carried on, then the lamp under the cooking to] should be a 32-cp., carbon-filament lam, consuming about 80 watts. The so-called “pigtail” sockets are best for the and should be con nected to an ordinary plug by means of heater or electric-iron cord. be SO stove use, @In a new tobacco pipe, and sometim« in an old one, the joint between the bit and the stem may become so tight as to make removal of the bit quite difficult. A simple remedy is to coat the joint with graphite, which is applied by rubbing 1 with a soft lead pencil.

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158 A Five-Pointed Star with One Cut To make a five-pointed star with a sin- gle snip of the shears is not hard if the Fis.5 Fic.6 To Cut a Five-Pointed Star Out of Paper, with One ut of the Scissors, Is Not Hard after a Little Practice paper is first folded in the manner indi- cated in the illustration. Begin by folding over a square along the center line, as shown in Fig. 1. It is now half as wide, as in Fig. 2, and should be folded again along the line as shown. The corner A, seen in Fig. 3, is next folded over against B, so that the piece appears as in Fig. 4. Folding once more along the dotted line, also shown in Fig. 4, the piece of paper will appear as in Fig. 5. Now cut along the line shown in Fig. 5. In the paper, when unfolded, will be a perfect five-pointed star. The right angles for folding and cutting, so as to bring the points of the star straight, as shown, will have to be found by experiment. Print Trimmer Opens Mail In an establishment where there was a large amount of mail, opening it in the usual manner required too much time, and it was not thought wise to buy an envelope opener, so one of the office force volunteered the use of his print trimmer. This made an excellent opener, and the contents were uninjured if they were shaken to one end before cutting the envelope open. As many as 500 envelopes per hour were opened in this way.— Frederick C. Davis, St. Joseph, Mo. POPULAR MECHANICS. Testing Heat Absorption It is well known that the various colors absorb heat at different rates. This may be shown graphically by laying small squares of cloth of different colors on the snow where the sun will strike them directly. Aftér some little time they may be examined, and the following results observed: White cloth will remain in the same position, practically. Light blue and yellow squares will absorb enough heat to melt the snow, causing them to sink slightly. Red will sink farther, and black will bury itself until the rays of the sun can no longer reach it. The colors which sink fastest in the snow are those which absorb the most heat, and reflect the least. Sign Writing with a Ruling Pen A very satisfactory lettering tool for rapid work on small price cards, bulle- tins, or signs can be made by inserting a small pad of felt between the points of a ruling pen. The felt should be trimmed as close to the metal as pos- sible. This device, used with India ink and a brass-edged ruler, produces neat work easily and quickly.—Y. K. Stoddard, San Diego, Calif. Why does an Engine Need a Breather? Nearly all automobile enthusiasts know that the function of the breather pipe on a four-cylinder gasoline engine is to pro- vide compensation for changes of air pressure in the crank case, but it is sur- prising how few of them know more than the general principle of its purpose. In a single-cylinder engine it is obvious that the descending piston must compress the air in the crank case, and that some method of keeping the pressure uniform is necessary. But with a four-cylindet engine it is less apparent. Two pistons descend while two ascend, and they all move through exactly the same distance. It would seem, therefore, that the vacuum caused by the two ascending pistons com- pensated exactly for the compression caused by the two others, and that the resulting equilibrium made the breather unnecessary. The answer is that, at a certain period in each revolution of the crankshaft, the two descending pistons are traveling faster than the two ascending ones, and that at another period the reverse is tak- ing place. In the first case, the air in the crank case is compressed, and in the

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POPULAR MECHANICS latter a slight vacuum is created. As the crankpin moves from upper dead center through a quarter of a revolution, the web changes from a vertical to a horizontal position. When this happens, the piston apparently makes one-half of its downward stroke. But it really does more than this. The crankpin has not only moved downward; it has also moved outward, and the lower end of the pis- ton rod has moved with it. The wrist pin, which is connected to the piston rod, travels downward as far as the crankpin does, but this is not enough to take care of the outward movement of the crankpin; it must travel a little lower yet, to allow for the sideward motion of the crankshaft. And, as the piston travels the same distance as the wrist pin, it makes a little more than one-half of its downward stroke during the quarter rev- olution of the crankshaft which has just been followed. During the next quarter revolution, the piston moves slower, while the web moves to lower dead center and takes up a ver- tical position. In the entire half revolu- tion, the wrist pin drops exactly the same distance as the crankpin, but as the greater part of its travel is accomplished in the first quarter, it must lag a trifle during the second quarter, while the crankpin moves inward as well as down- ward. In other words, the wrist pin travels faster in a downward direction than the crankpin does at the beginning of the stroke, and therefore “catches up” on it—in a vertical direction. Accordingly it has not so far to go in the second part of the downward stroke, and must there- fore slow up, so that they may both fin- ish the same distance apart. If this has been understood, it will be easily seen that the piston makes less than half of its upward stroke during the third quarter revolution of the crank- shaft, and must therefore speed up dur- ing the fourth quarter. It follows, then, that during the third quarter revolution the two ascending pistons travel more slowly than the two descending ones, so that the former do not create sufficient vacuum to compensate for the compres- sion in the crank case caused by the lat- ter. During the fourth quarter the re- verse is true, and there is too much vacuum. The above reasoning will demonstrate that the breather has exhaled during the first and third quarter revolutions, and in- haled during the second and fourth— Howard Greene, Cliffside, N. J. 159 “Drop the Chocolate Drop” Target To be dropped into a tub of cold water whenever the target is hit, is the fate ‘Y TRIGGER ©) ( {Q) / TARGET “SCREW EVES ho STANDARD —~ A Very Simple Mechanism Provides Sure Proof That the Target has been Hit, and Creates a Great Deal of Fun at the Same Time of this manikin. Target and manikin ar« cut from a thin wooden board. The target disk is fitted with a wire arm, which turns in two screw eyes fixed to an upright standard. A length of wire, with a loop at the center, serves as a seat. ‘A nail, put through the loop, pivots the seat piece to the standard. A brad, driven into the edge of the target, forms a trigger to hold the free end of the seat wire. With the manikin slipped on its seat, and the trigger set, the marksman may step right up, and try his skill wit] either a bean shooter or a rubber-band gun. A Simple Ski Binder a =i —_ cn fs | 4 \ =— A ski binder made from a toe strap, used with the tapered block shown in the a drawing, permits XY \ quick removal of va! the foot from the -~ strap, and holds J the ski on the foot TOE STRAP \ when the course ¥ leads uphill. . \ WEDGE-SHAPE BLOCK “ Cleaning Paint Spots from Glass Small spots of paint which have dried on window panes, or other glass, may be quickly removed by holding a copper washer under the end of the finger, and rubbing it over the glass. The spots are quickly rubbed off, after which the grease mark is washed off in the usual way. Copper pennies, or even iron washers, may be used, but the copper washer 1s better than either of these.

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COUNTRY SCHOOL MATERIALIZES IDEAL MANUAL TRAINING COAL BIN 6i'-10 JANITOR'S ROOM FURNACE ROOM le « 72’. . a a j lated BASEMENT" N a certain country highway in Dane County, Wis., stands a rural school- house so unusual that it attracts the eye of every passing motorist. The structure is of hollow tile finished in rough, gray cement, trimmed with dark-red paving brick, and has an overhanging shingle roof. Touches of beauty are added by the brown-stained woodwork, a pair of lamps at each doorway, climbing vines, and a brown flower box, bracketed under the six front windows and filled with geraniums. The school yard is a triangular plot fac- ing the road. The neatly kept lawn has been landscaped with perennials and shrubbery at a cost of $100. Nature sup- plied enough trees, and the only addition is a flagpole and a safety sign at the road- side. A plan not yet carried out calls for a cement platform, about 50 by 80 ft., with a low wall, for games and exer- cises in the back yard. About 40 chil- 160 The Charm of the Exterior may be Realized from the View Above, Basement and First-Floor Plans Below Convey an Idea of the Interior Con- venience While _ the RECITATION f RECITATION ROOM ROOM I ) xq ~wamniecrerenetl ALVIN SMALL, ARCHITECT dren occupy the building daytimes, and at night, on occasion, it becomes a com- munity center. Two teachers are em- ployed at $100 and $80 a month, and a janitor gives part of his time for $600 a year. Some of the seats are movable, so the floor can be cleared; there is a piano, and the big bookcase holds about $150 worth of books. Stereoscopes with some 600 views are part of the equip- ment, and there is an electric lantern with a floor connection, and a screen sus- pended from the picture molding. In the basement is a kitchen and pantry, and a large room with a sewing machine, and provisions for playing, eating, or studying. The plumbing arrangements are all modern. There are two large furnaces incased in brick, and a ventilating system. The building is so planned that a wing may be added at each end, and extra rooms at the rear. It cost $15,000 to build a little more than two years ago. CORRIDOR CORRIDOR ge FIRST FLOOR ” 72’-