Popular Mechanics 1920-02: Vol 33 Iss 2

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Se ae ee, rt aQvo-1 Ph oPo wo Vol. 33 HOUGH the snow blocks of the Es- kimo igloo might almost class as permanent building material in the land of perpetual ice, their use does not accord with even the most primitive ideas of civilization. And it is a matter of gov- rnmental recognition that the Eskimo Indians of the Pribilof Islands are rapid- ly gaining in sophistication, as the prices Of the sealskins and blue and gray-fox pelts they sell mount higher and higher. Those bits of frozen land in Bering Sea, lose total area is less than 70 square have only about 350 inhabitants, “- - Popular Mechanics Magazine MEGISTERED IN U.S. PATENT OFFICE WRITTEN SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT FEBRUARY, 1920 No. 2 Modern Eskimos to Have Igloos of Concrete yet they are being assailed by all the as- pirations of prosperity, and are beginning to buy the most interesting items the mail-order catalogs offer So United States engineers are building them igloos of concrete, thus substituting the most ; Igloos of Concrete for the Eskimos of the Pribilof Islands: Permanent Habitations, Built by the Government, 4 That Retain the Peculiarities of Native Architecture, Yet Substitute the Most Modern and Substantial of Materials for the Traditional Ice and Snow lol

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1 substantial of materials for what seems, from the temperate-zone viewpoint, the most ephemeral. It is to be noted, how- ever, that the builders are careful to ad- here closely to the native style of archi- tecture. The new concrete dwellings in- 162 POPULAR MECHANICS troduce no unfamiliar and depressing in- novations to their tenants. If those buil: this season are accepted as satisfacto: to the changing Eskimo taste, a whol colony of them will bh summer. constructed nex} PORTABLE CRIB FOR BABY LIKE TRAVELING BAG rhe problem of carrying place to place has met fon ma a Baby from with one solu- crib \ handy “suitcase \ rhis Chubby, Happy Infant Demonstrates Conclusively That an Outdoor Life in the Open Is the Most Healthful. rhe Photo Shows the Suitcase Open tecl frame, slightly larger than the ordinary alise, is covered with wire netting and hinged at either side of its vable top. The is filled with ding, and when the grip is closed it is strapped like any suitcase to in- sure double security. One healthy six-months bottom soft bed- The Proud 3aby on One of Their Cross-Country Pare? Trips AIRMAN MAKES SAFE LANDING ON TELEGRAPH POLE While filming a comedy feature in Cali- fornia, an airplane was used to provide thrills for motion-picture patrons. A Los Angeles airman, who was employed to do the flying, tried to pass between two tall telegraph poles on the top of a hill, when his plane was caught by a sudden gust of wind. The airplane was thrown into a sharply banked turn, only to be punctured and held fast by one of the two poles. The forward momentum of ‘the plane ts The Baby Takes Quite Kindly to Its Suitcase Crib and is Sleeping Soundly in It old child has traveled with its parents over the country in the portable crib, vented by its father. TRANSMIT POWER BY IMPULSES THROUGH COLUMN OF WATER That a column of to transmit water may be n powell il the same Way an electric wire transmits it, is the markable discovery ot uropean si st. and the system already has he adapted for operating rock di placing pneumatic equipm: this appheation it is part ularly useful, for the atel that tates the } TS ¢ chi} ol operates al drill also Tren rock power waves are tfral ted through the water with the same fac whether it is in moto stationary, and may and deli C1 at any desired frequen or in more than one pl cenerated Used for drilling gra in Cornwall, England pecial designed e water-wave impulse » the work 80 pel the generated power, against only 10 per cent ir tools. For work vater and in mines, th: should tools Carry ng the show power Here avantages. was so great that it pivoted twice arow the pole, then caught on the climbu cleats, and dangled in mid-air. The drive after recovering from the shock and real izing that he was still alive and not tra eling toward an wndertaker’s parlor | a gunny sack, climbed over the wreckag of the broken wing, and shinned dow: the pole like a lineman. He escape: without a scratch. The fire departmen' later in the day. removed the damage: airplane from its precarious position. ~ RT ee Ye ~

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f PATH OF AIRMAN INTENDED TO GO —># _¢ THREW PLANE IN SP SHARPLY BANKED G=x// TURN; WING CAUGHT . > ~ POLE 4 AIRPLANE Lx\ PIVOTED TWICE AROUND POLE ? SUID HALF- | 4 ; “WAY DOWN, | THEN DANGLED IN MID-AIR i ee : % : ™ - —— . i x . i The Movie Fan’s Insatiable Demand for Thrills Was Responsible for This Unparalleled ' . Accident. Coasting at a Steep Angle, as Diagrammatically Shown in the Insert, the Airman 4} Attempted to Glide between the Two Telegraph Poles. Unfortunately, an Unexpected Gust Impaled the Wings on the Right-Hand Pole, the Momentum of the Machine Meanwhile Caus- ing It to Spiral toward the Ground. His Plane Coming to Rest at Last, Halfway down the . Pole, the Lucky Airman Clambered over the Twisted Wing, and “‘Shinned” Down to Safety * = 163 4

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164 POPULAR MECHANICS SEAT OF ODD BICYCLE PLACED OVER STEERING COLUMN Seen from the side, the newest bicycle looks as though it had collided at high speed with a thick brick wall. Just above OP YRIGHT, UNIVERSAL NEW SCREEN MAGAZINE The Extreme Lightness and Compactness of This New Bicycle Recommend It for Use about the City Streets. It is Conveniently Carried into Office Build- ings, Street Cars, or Elevators the sprocket whee the frame measut little more than eight inches from front to rear. Phe pire umatic-tired wheels are no larger, and are scarcely one foot apart. Yet the bicvcle is built to Carry a Tulle grown rider. Sitting directly above the pedal sprocket, he controls the front wheel by conventional handlebars. High gear ratio gives his strange vehicle good speed. LABOR-SAVING DEVICE USED FOR MOVING BIG PIPE By employing a very simple contriv- ance, certain middle-western tile manufac- turers move huge concrete pipe sections Moving a Concrete Tile: This Work Once Required Nine Men, but is Now Done by One Man and a Horse with a horse and a driver, though the task formerly required as many as nine men. Mechanical assistance is provided by a wooden roller, the axle of which is con- nected to a singletree with chains. When the roller is placed lengthwise inside a section, and a horse harnessed to the singletree, the animal can easily haul! the ponderous cylinder. GREASE EXTRACTED FROM WOOL BY NEW PROCESS Lanoline, the purified animal grease ex tracted trom wool, formerly was mad mainly in Germany and Belgium, by a s cret process known to have utilized sul phurie acid. A new process developed Australia uses no acids, and consequently produces a grease of great purity. T| method is declared to be highly econon ical, and provisions have been made fo: its use on a commercial scale. The prod uct will be turned into soap for wo scouring, and other special purposes. STOUT BOARD WINDOWS MAKE HOUSE BURGLAR-PROOF \ suggestion for the prospective builde: of a summer cottage is embodied in th: Wooden Windows, of the Type Pictured Above, Are Inexpensive, Yet Thoroughly Hygienic. When Low- ered and Locked, They Make the House Practically Burglar-Proof description of a house recently erected by a disciple of the popular gospel of “fresh air.” The man has done away en- tirely with the ordinary windows of glass: instead, he has equipped his home with windows of heavy board, hinged at the top, and pierced only for twq small glass panes. ‘When the windows are fully raised, the house is flooded with fresh air; yet they may be lowered and locked, when the owner leaves, so as to make the dwelling practically burglar-proot.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 165 DIVER IN RIGID SUIT BREAKS RECORD FOR DEPTH the Water The Diver Is Helpless in His 400-Pound Suit Until Buoyed Up by Clad in a brand-new suit, made of rigid brass and weighing 400 Ib., an American diver broke all records for depth a short time ago when he descended to the ocean floor in 360 ft. of water off the shore at Boston. The feature of the novel gar- ment which made the feat possible is its resistance to water pressure, which at this depth is over 150 Ib. per square inch. It is made of stiff, heavy metal, with cir- cular joints at shoulder and hip, flanged and water-tight. Short sleeves of high- pressure fabric are inserted in the cylin- drical legs and arms at knee and elbow, to give slight flexibility. The helmet is similar to the usual form. The diver, thus incased, is lowered by a derrick over the side of a ship, his depth limited only by the tackle and air hose. The new suit will be used to explore the sunken steamer “Laurentic,” resting in deep water off the English coast with $30,000,- 000 in gold aboard. Remarkable electric- light photographs of the ship already have been made by a diver, using a spe- cial submarine camera and taking pro- longed exposures. UNDER WOOO é wna ° The Diver has Just Entered His Rigid Brass Casing in the View Above, and the Helmet behind Him on the Deck Is Next to be Bolted into Place. PHOTOS COPYRIGHT, The Peculiar Shoulder, Hip, Knee, and Elbow Joints zre Clearly Seen. Ready for Action, He is Hoisted ever the Side with a Derrick, as in the Picture at the Left DISCOVER SULPHUR IN CRATER OF ICE-COVERED MOUNTAIN Located in the crater of a snow-capped volcanic mountain on Unalaska Island, one of the Aleutian group, is a large de- posit of sulphur, believed to contain from 10,000 to 15,000 tons. A claim has been filed for the location, and mining opeta- tions probably will start in the near future. Subterranean heat and a hot vapor, the latter issuing from cracks in the rocks, keep the deposit free from ice and snow, though these permanently cover nearly all of the remainder of the peak, which is about 6,000 ft. in height Another sulphur deposit has been dis- covered on Akun Island, in the same group, and a third near Stepovak Bay, on the southern shore of the Alaskan Peninsula, @ Automobiles are rented without drivers to persons whose cars are undergoing repairs by a Los Angeles garage. The idea has proved very popular, especia:lv with women.

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‘Ny ngs 1) 9194 pa tais iif is | APS ounded at Y:00 p. m. lor half an hour, while the “P. K.’—principal keeper—was below the cell block, scarcely a sound issued from the 24 tiers. Then, some one way up in the fourth tier of the last section howled mournfully. “1921! R-o-o-l-]l a-r-o-u-n-d !" Imme- diately an answer. “1926! R-o-o-l-] a-r-o-u-n-d !” The another, who yet is wakeful. ‘1933! R-o-o-l-] a-r-o-u-n-d!” This sends a shiver through an auditor. The poor devil up there actually is counting the days till 1933! Tlis voice is dismal, yet in the same block is another man— sentenced only six weeks since. For the first time he adds his contril ution “1949! R-o-o-Il-] a-r-o-u-n-d ! There is a catch, as of fear, in his voice. In a few vears this will have been replaced by spiritless resignation, perhaps. Right now even the others hate to hear him. Six or seven of them join in an instant chorus: “Geta rope and | ang yourse lf!” Cheer- ful advice, but the same that invariably 1s given a long-termer in the tiers, by his fellow convicts Except for the fact that hope of a pardon, coming miraculously, burns in the breast of every man in fora long stretch, many undoubtedly would find the means and opportunity of follow- ing it just as given. One other hope, even dimmer, makes the lifers and the 30-year men plug along. This is the hope of es- cape, the hope of finding a chance for making that most desperate gamble, a break for freedom. Men are few and far between who es- cape from state penitentiaries nowadays. Fewer still are those who break out and manage to evade recapture. Probably one in ten thousand is too large a number for the last class. Yet, if the full truth were HA > DESPERATE GAMBLE by L, .L.Pronsdon AM A ANIA) th ANT AWA known, it is likely that any given moment, in every prison housing 1,500 inmates, at least 30 attempts at escape are being tried or are awaiting a certain opportunity o1 et of opportunities—fully matured in theory—to be tried by men to whom life under restraint is absolutely without value. Each one feels in himself that if he once gets outside the walls, the “dicks” (plain-clothes men) never will bring him back—even though they caught “Shorty” and “Pug Nose” and “Butcher Hank, and all of his friends who had tried. The prisoners who attempt to escape from a place like C.inton prison at Danne- mora, New York—a penitentiary reserved for third-timers and really desperate char- acters, and where the percentage of at- tempted escapes is exceptionally high— have to be of an extraordinarily high standard of intelligence to succeed. Once ‘n a decade or so such a genius appears. Pepper Pete” was one of these. Pepper got his cognomen from his method of highway robbery. Walking along the street in the evening, he carried an unlighted pipe between his teeth When, in some lonesome spot, he saw a pedestrian stop to light a cigar, Pepper: would accost him, asking him to “hold th: match.” When the fellow traveler ob liged, Pepper, instead of lighting his inno cent-looking pipe, turned it toward th: eyes of his victim, and blew hard. The pipe was of special construction, and filled with red pepper. The victim, blinded by this horrible assault, could do nothing to defend himself until relieved of his val- uables. With two terms already behind him, Pepper was sent to Clinton. There he im- mediately began to plan an escape, and in his plans exhibited great cleverness. He worked in the clothing shop of the prison. One piece at a time, working over a period of eight months, Pepper stole a complete civilian outfit from the shop. The ensemble he hid in his pillow. At daily inspection, of course, the pillows all + UE cero eee amad +"

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were felt and punched by the inspecting euard. He was looking for files, knives, aws, and the like, however, so the soft clothing got by undetected. fhen one day Pepper excused himself rom roll call because of sickness, and arted for the hospital. Stopping at the limehouse he changed clothes in a time that could not well have been longer than {5 seconds. \ttired then as a civilian, he slipped round to the administration building of he prison and walked boldly up the front teps. All the time, of course, he was in plain sight of the guards walking the high wall. None paid any attention to him, however, as prisoners in “civvies” ren't what they are accustomed to look tOT. Banging his way in loudly, Pepper made for the warden’s office. Without even knocking he stumbled in. The warden happened to be very busy at the moment, it this did not deter Pepper. “I’ve come » sell you some meat!” he declared con- fidently. This attracted the warden’s attention. | don’t need any!” he said brusquely, and turned back to work. ‘But I'm going to sell you some!” as- serted Pepper with strident confidence. “I live up country about three miles, and I[ got couple of cows that cost too much to feed. I'm going to sell them to you cheap. You got a lot of men here to feed. Give hem a good dinner once; why not?” ; he warden was nettled. He received | his meat and other supplies by contract, ind could not have used the cows had 1 Ror aaron eatin scpengmnertee they been given to him. “Get out of here!” he retorted, rising and waving his irm. “I don’t need your meat and | an't use it! Say—,” and his expression changed. “How do you explain your be- ing here at all?” Pepper Pete was all ready for this, how- ever. “Oh, I waited till the wagon came in. Then I rode in on it!” he explained, heaming appreciation of his own clever- “Now about the meat “Sergeant!” bawled the warden. “Take this d——d pest and throw him out! He’s hothering me!” The sergeant came in, ind removed the obstreperous meat seller, ness, » dumping him outside the gates with force r and relish. It was not until Pepper was ‘ across the 20 intervening miles to Canada ; that he really allowed himself a good e laugh. Until, five years later, Pepper was foolish enough to return to New York, he stayed out of the clutches of the law. In the whole history of the operation of POPULAR MECHANICS 167 Tombs, the jail of the city of New York, only one man escaped. This chap, B—— by name, mystified everyone until finally he confessed how it, and his other break- ings, had been accomplished. His sweetheart, steadfast to him even in the depths of adversity, had a special cor- set made for her, the like of which it is probable no other woman ever wore. In place of the first stay was a good, serv- iceable file, curved a little so it fitted. Next were a pair of saws; then cutting wire, with emery powder, knives, pliers, and other implements calculated to aid an impatient prisoner. With this amount of tools, in the space of eight hours, B- cut through three sets of iron bars. He jumped 30 feet to the concreted prison yard, scaled a high wall, and jumped down the other side. His sweetheart was waiting, and spirited him away. He was caught again, of course, and because of the reputation he had made by his first escape—and because it was a moral certainty he would try again—he was sent to Clinton. One would be in- clined to think the sweetheart might have been excused for giving up then, as Clin- ton is considered one of the impregnable fastnesses in the country, but not she. Bribing the driver of a supply wagon, she got him to drop a package of dyna- mite in the prison yard while the convicts were out taking their afternoon exercise. All being prearranged, secured the explosive and somehow managed to smuggle it into the cell block. There, that night, he blew out the doors of his cell— and part of the prison, too—and in spite of shock and injuries, succeeded in get- ting out as far as the corridor. There a dozen guards nabbed him, however. His last attempt was nipped in the bud. The woman, of whom the authorities now had become suspicious, was seen one day riding up near the prison on horseback and leading another horse. Anything like this is portentous in Dannemora, where no one except officials of the prison and State Insane Hospital reside. She watched, and so was B——. That night, after taps, a squad of 10 New York gangsters were caught at- tempting to scale the prison wall from the outside. They admitted coming to ef- fect the release of B , when put on trial later. The woman was indicted, and now is doing a stretch at Auburn, the women’s prison. B never made Decne Was another attempt; even his indomitable spirit wore out. Who can tabulate all the heartaches

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168 POPULAR MECHANICS that lie behind these attempts for free- dom? Usually the grind of incarceration is sufficient to make men dare all for a taste of liberty, but sometimes there are even more compelling motives. A man named G , in for 20 years, re- ceived word shortly after starting his sen- tence that his wife had given birth to a son. The baby was doing well, but his mother was in precarious health. She was not expected to live long. G— right or wrong, went nearly in- sane brooding over his inabil- ity to go to her. lle, with the help of three other men, worked out the details of a plot for escape. Near the prison laundry stood an empty barrel. Taking the bottom out of this, the four took turns aa tunneling, aiming straight at the wall, two feet under- ground. The wall, of course, goes down to a depth that is impossible for prisoners to reach with the tools they are able to secure. After two weeks of mter- mittent work, in which schemes of great ingenuity were concocted for the disposal of the dirt removed from the hole, they reached the wall, and excavated a small chamber there for working pur- poses. With only a small file and bits of wood with which to attack the masonry, they pecked away. Finally one of the huge slabs was loosened, and worked forward to a point where it was almost about to topple into the excavation. Here a terrible difficulty became appar- ent. It would be perfectly simple to re- lease the slab, but the second it came out, it. would crush beyond recognition the man working in the excavation. Beyond lay soft dirt, the surface—and freedom, > PR working over a period of eight months, epper stole a complete civilian outfit from -akine 3 ins the shop. The ensemble he hid in his pillow. ee - gM. J ag’, a At daily inspection, of course, the pillows all ACK, r were felt and punched by the inspecting guard. ored to get out of th: He was looking for files, knives, and the like. so the soft clothing got by undetected.”’ however. The men talked it over gravely and decided that one of the number musi be sacrificed that the other three might escape. They drew straws. By ironic chance G——, the one of the four with more than an ordinary reason for escape, drew the shortest straw. His was the assign- ment. One of the others, proclaiming himself unattached, offered to take his place, but G—— refused. In the few sec- .— onds after hi | election he hac formulated scheme that might give hin something of chance to es- cape the sla! when it fell. He too} down a_= short piece of plank This was insuf ficient to sto the rush of the big stone, but a he thought that, in break mg, the woo >foba bd wou ld dela the fall long enoug! to permit him t squirm out of the way Propping it in place he grimly worked the eaten slab until it gave wa) It struck the plank G endea\ way. He succeeded except for his right hand. This was mashed until it was scarcely recognizable as a member. Grit ting his teeth, he made no outcry, how- ever, but turned to the work that yet re- mained. In any other human pursuit save prison breaking, such heroism and self-sacrifice surely deserved success. Law is lav, how- ever, and. transgressors pay in their heart blood as well as in restraint and humilia- tion. Just when the stage was all set for the escape, a “stool pigeon” in the cell block overheard the conspirators, and gave them away. The four men were captured and punished—and the mother outside died without seeing G again. In the barred world men get down to fundamentals in the course of months or i i ee

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ee ea > a eee wee or ee eer POPULAR He look down @ short piece of ank This was insufficient to stop the «ch of the big stone, but he thought that in aking, the wood probably would delay the fall long h to permit him to squirm out of the way > eded except for his right hand. This was mashed until it vas scarcely recognizable.”’ First and foremost as a topic of onversation, of course, is freedom. Sec- ond—and the vote probably would be e—is love. In an assemblage such as rie finds at a_ state penitentiary, one might expect to find the minds of the ma Ori running toward license and dissipa- on, but this is not the case, at least in erage. Chivalry exists, and is made re of as a virtue than in the offices, ele- tors, street cars, and other assembling lace of a care-free vortd \W hatever vere before they enjered the con- nes of prison, men come to know that f the surest sources of happiness ts eadfast love. A surprising majority have es or sweethearts vho for five,.ten nty years, visit the prison every time permitted—waiting with the man in " for the resumption of happiness. For e cynic, who beheves that love between and woman is not enduring, a term or even a visit to—a prison would be evelation. lo show just what love comes to mean man incarcerated, the case of a chap amed M——, at Sing Sing prison, may « cited. He had been sent in for a 1- year term under a state penalty. The vay such a penalty works out is this: If © proves a perfect prisoner, and never fined for any fault, he receives an al- lowance of two months from his first year's sentence; three months from the econd; four from the third, and so on. This means that on a 10-year stretch he actually has to serve about seven years and one month. The two years and eleven months are taken off: these are MECHANICS 169 known technically as his “good” o1 short’ time. If during his stretch he at tempts to break out of prison, he in stantly forfeits all this good time It i gone forever; he must serve out his whol sentence and, besides, stand trial for the felony of jail breaking. for which an added penalty is imposed 1 , these risks, of course, a man breaking out In addition to faces the very great probability of bein; killed or maimed in the attempt, or late when the dicks” and ] yet his trail M . had served more that l enths of | sentence During all tl time his wife had visited him, coming once a month, as is permitted the first vear, and once each fortnight thereafte1 She came down with a mortal illness, and ae Was ayll ge. He told the grim story to hi cell mate, who understood, sympathized and agreed to help him even at the risk of losing his own good time, and thus for feiting several years of his own freedom They stole straw and bits of stick smuggling them into the cell. Then one afternoon M—— “hid out” in the green- house. His cell mate rigged up a dummy out of the straw, sticks, and a suit of pris on-gray. When the _ nine-o'clock off cial count of the prisoners was made, the cell mate propped up the dummy facing him in the doorway. The “P. K.” making the inspection was fooled. The count was given in as correct, the prison whist!

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170 POPULAR blew, and the guards left their posts on the wall for the night. Then M had a clear field. He scaled the wall, swam the Hudson, and succeeded in reaching his wife. They had eight hours in which to say good-by to each other, and then the relentless police came for him. He did not resist rearrest, but instead, when put on trial, pleaded to assume the penalty given to his cell mate for aiding him in his infraction of € the laws. “It has been worth it to me and Mamie,” he said. Because of his previous exen.plary conduct, and because the story was known to be genuine, he was given the minimum penalty, and the cell mate escaped with five days in the “cooler’—soli- tary confinement. Though this may sound harsh, it was the least the trial board was allowed to impose. It is not the pur- pose of this article to attempt to cre- ate sympathy for prisoners attempt- ing to escape. Many of these are recalcitrants, men who have no other motive in trying to get away than a de- nefarious careers. While prison may not help them, it cer- tainly does them no harm—and society is better off for the time they are behind the bars. One of these “bad men,” who finally was subdued, was a famous New York City gangster. His pals were of the noted terrorist faction known familiarly as the “gashouse gang.” So defiant of the tenets of law and order was he that he caused a crimson banner to be flaunted from the building in which he lived to the ten- ement across the street. “No cops al- lowed,” was the legend, and in all justice it must be stated that mighty few uni- formed men had sufficient courage to dis- obey the mandate and enter the pro- “His cell mate rigged up a dummy out of the ; P : j straw, sticks, and suit of prison-gray. When the nine- ne¢ mora prison. At o'clock official count of the paws —, ~~ the the time the latter sire 2c > »3 cell mate propped up the dummy facing him in the doorway. sire to resume their The P. K. making the inspection was fooled.”’ MECHANICS scribed district. One Irish sergeant an- nounced that he was going to call the bluff. He went down after one of the gang. In the morning he was found dead in the gutter, directly under the crimson banner. The criminal in question finally was trapped, and given 20 years for man- slaughter. When taken to Sing Sing he was asked, as a matter of routine, if he intended to behave himself. On giving a sulphurously neg- ative answer, he was warned of the punishment meted out to recalcitrants. He sneered. A short time later he picked up a door. weight, weighing over 40 pounds, and threw it full into the face of a trusty, break- ing the latter’s nose and upper jaw, and knocking out eight teeth, When he was out of the cooler and back in the cell block again, his first act was to take a gun away from a guard, and chase the latter all over the prison yard, yelling fiend ishly. lle was then taken to the Dan prison was being built, the expecta- tion had been that a great number of “hard nuts” would be sent there. A spe- cial solitary-confinement building, there- fore, had been erected. This was a chalk box of a building, containing six cells. No windows opened from these cells, though, high above, each had a skylight. Herein a prisoner was allowed nothing but his own thoughts—plus three slices of bread and three cups of water a day. A physician examined him daily while here, to make certain that his physical being was holding up in good shape. The punishment was presumed to be sufficient to break the defiant spirit of the worst criminal—and it has not failed yet. Up to the time of this gangster, no oe ot werd Pus) Maur. =e ee .*) oT

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Se te oe Pr aha — POPULAR MECHANICS nisoner had been given a taste of it. He yas the first, and though he went in vow- ng all kinds of dire vengeance \ he got back again, less than oné month vith his own thoughts was sufficient to nake him as meek as a woolly lamb. He has bothered no one since. Certain insignia and privileges are given o prisoners who show themselves tracta when once ble and willing to reform \fter a man has been in for one year without a fine or penalty of any kind, he < allowed to vear a bar beneath his arm badge rhe badge is a circle about one inch in diam eter first offenders have vhite badges, econd offenders blue, and old-timers red The first bar allows a prisoner to writ and receive four letters a month instead of two, as is the case at first He also nay take a daily newspaper, and he may tohacco, tooth paste. and candy ones WELLS DRAW SEEPAGE WATER FROM FLOODED FARM LAND 1 tie vaters of the Snake Rive} outhern Idaho have for years been im pounded for irrigation purposes ne at lw Kalls. Several seasons ago i Irul ) rower with trees in Rock Creek Canon, at a lower level and several miles to the outh, remarked that he had found it wm iecessary to water his lane The ext ear the canon bottom became oO swampy that his orchard was ruined. Other farms egan to suffer, and the larmed. Investigation then showed that the mmunity grey vater was seeping copiously through orth wall of the canon. Several prevent ive were tried, but all failed At last iowever, the experts engaged ior this ital work evolved a solution of the diff ultn They dug wells everywhere. | these pits the seepage water accumulate overflowing into contiguous ditche vhich Jead it harmlessly out of the ate METAL SHORTAGE MAKES IVORY SCULPTURE GERMAN VOGUE ‘rermany’s present shortage of gold, sil- ver, and marble is said to be responsible ior an interesting revival in that country of WOTy carving, an art as old as man. Unable to work in the more precious metals and accustomed stones, artists are turning to this medium with an enthu- iasm reminiscent of the 13th century, when French and Flemish sculptors pro- luced marvels of workmanchip for re- each two weeks instead of once a mont Each year of good behavior adds other bar. The fifth year the bars taken off, and a star is substituted. St: men are allowed two letters a week g ing and coming, and also are ready t appointments as trusties if they have no already been picked for some special \ because of their talents or training. Lf a man is fined, he gets bull’s-eve instead of the regu ilar, except for having another circle « centric with the first he time of gi his mark is noted down, and a full from that date must elapse before “goo time” is given, or a bar awarded. U the limits of conscient s enforcem« the law. men are encouraged to be hay ambitious, and to plan for a success and honest career after release. Bey that—well, it is prison, after all ligious and secular ornament worthiest examples of the work now po ular in Germany seem to be little statue which combine bronze and ivory in dai

OP YRIGHT. PRE Ss t TRATING SERV Unable to Obtain the More Precious Metals or the Usual Stones, German Sculptors are Finding Increas- ing Use for Ivory. It is Often Combined with Bronze as in the Statuettes Above contrast, the ivory being used to sugg: the living fiesh. Unlike their predecessor however, the modern craftsmen use n chinery for the rougher operations

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+ aie nace eget AI es POPULAR M ECHANICS Li POWERFUL CRANE LIFTS MILLION-POUND LOAD Vith a working capacity of 350 gross ions, a radius of action of 115 ft.. and a clear lift of 170 horizontal track. In the trials which a companied the christening ceremonies the huge ma- it. from the dock, a new crane just in- stalled at the Philadel- phia Navy Yard claims the title of the world’s largest hoisting ma- ching The hig crane is of the cantilever type, with stationary pintle, the long arm of the hoist beam h« conees Which ing balanced by the hoisting equipment and cab on the hort end. Be- PYRIGHT, INTEHRA FM SERVICE te: : } - iween the two 1/5-ton capac nHormt ru ways is an auxiliary hoist operating on a SALVAGE CREW ROLLS AERO ENGINE DOWN HILLSIDE Weeks ago Was told the rag tory oO he snow-blinded transcontmental racing preitye that collided V1 h a nie ntall sicle i! l'tah. lo that tale May now be added an nitere ting equel. Report ne the condi tion otf the wrec ke d pl ne the survivor ‘ the disaster described the | ertv en- e as unharmed. So,with lifting tackle and skids for facilit ting ti long descent a ily age Crew Was ordered te the scene. lheir superiors figured that the journey ‘lown the snow-clad slope would take sev- eral days; but the men took wth them, hesides their tackle, a supply of good \merican gumption. Placing the 1,500- lb. mass of metal on the deep snow, they made it the center of a great snowball which they shepherded down the steep descent in just a few hours @ Tsingtao, China, has taken its place as a meat-producing district with the execu- tion of a contract for 12.000,000 Ib. of fresh beef, deliverable to an American concern. It is asserted that improved breeding methods will make China an important source of beef, as well as of vine and sheep. One of the 100,000-Pound Loco- motives Picked Up as an Inci- chine lifted two locomo tives with weight of 178, OOO Ib., and ad ditional load which mad the total nearl 1.000.000 Ib lhe new hoist is to be usec for equippil ‘ warships, an is capable 0 loading com Load by the Big Crane, ple tely could, if Necessary, Lift hled gun turrets Ten of Them directly fron the dock te their positio assem on board shi ucted i 120 working days and ] > . ‘. r # te4 anus A Unique Salvaging Operation in the History of Aviation, This “Snowball” Descent of the Liberty Engine from an Airplane Wrecked High up the Mountain Was Entirely Successful and Took but a Few Hours

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174 STREET-REPAIR TRUCK FITTED TO ANSWER EMERGENCY CALLS Like an emergency street-repair truck ambulance, the maintained by the

- City of New Orleans. It Possible to Drop the Aggregate municipal repair plant of New Orleans speeds at a moment’s notice to any part of the city. With it, on the broad plat form body, go every ingredient and tool used to mix and apply concrete. Imme- diately behind the driver’s seat is the tool rack; then come three small bins contain- ing sacked cement, crushed rock, and mis- cellaneous materials. Bolted to the rear end of the platform are a gasoline engine and a concrete mixer, the latter so ar- ranged that the concrete may be dumped directly into the street. NAVY OPENS SCHOOL TO TRAIN ENLISTED PHOTOGRAPHERS The camera is evidently to play as im- portant a part in naval as in army opera- tions; for at Washington, D. C., has been established a photography school for en- listed men of the navy. The first class, of 13 men, has already started its work, in the course of which the sailor-students will be instructed in photographic theory, aerial and ground photography, and lab- oratory practice. Graduates of the school will receive “photographic ratings” as their ability warrants, and will be assigned to duty wherever the navy needs them.

< SEE te ae On the Platform Body of This Four-Ton Truck are Carried All the Tools and Materials Needed for Small or Emergency Street Repairs about the The Location of the Engine-Driven Mixer Makes to the Directly on the Spot to be Repaired POPULAR MECHANICS NAME OF NOTED POLICE FORCE CHANGED BY CANADIANS Canada’s famous law-enforcing organ- ization, known since 1873, the year of its establishment, as the Canadian North West Mounted Police, has been renamed, and _ is about to undergo other important changes. The new appellation is the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Plans are being made to move the head quarters of the force from Regina, Sask., where they have been located for 37 years, to Ottawa, Ont., and to in crease the size of the ter ritory to be patrolled by the scarlet-clad officers. It is possible that the entire dominion will be placed under their jurisdiction, though this has not been definitely decided. Spe- cial attention will be given by the policemen enforcement of the new prohibition law. Within the last two years approximately 1300 men have been added to the body, which is now composed of 1,800 members, including the Dominion Police. ELECTRIC AWL MARKS HUNDRED BUTTONHOLES AT A TIME The demand for quantity production of responsible lor ready-made clothing is the invention of another mechan- ical tailoring tool. This time it is an electrically oper- ated awl, or needle, by the use of which a pile containing a hun- dred layers of goods can be pierced at will. With a master pattern spread on top, this means that a button or pocket can be located for a hundred suits with one downward motion of the awl. The long needle is revolved directly by a small electric motor, which is carried by a telescoping upright to per- mit easy movement up and down.

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em i cathe ve ota ee ra POPULAR MECHANICS Pi 9 Soe gt Te a an OS ES choo! of Fly Casting on the Roof of rst, and to Achieve Long Casts without Snapping Off Their Hooks TROUT FLY-CASTING SCHOOL ON ROOF OF CITY BUILDING a Western Sporting-Goods Store: Eastern Ladies Vacationing i: West Learn Here How to Tie Their Own Leaders, to Make Their Flies Hit the ‘“‘Water’”’ b ‘ lv-casting choo!l n the roof of a streal oO. ‘ah Fe tre ? Dunile hich mw andiing red oO yt Oo ocrery membet and . men afé ©! ine entangiemen?t t] } rolled has been estab- lished by H vester porting-goods estabhis! ment lhe purpose ( he choc is the free cdi 1 tio! 0 rout-fis! iW kn ledge \ hic! 1 expected o tim ite public interest in the Waltonian pastime, thereby exerti iva whole- ome effect upon the nrm Dusimmess and n- reasing Its profit rhe manager of the tshing-tackle department of the store. who is him- elf an expert angler, is the instructor in the chool The course con sists of ten lessons on the roof. covering all the . After Their Ten Roof Lessons, the Students Try a Little Field Pra arts of tying lines, pur- Many Good Trout Streams being Located within Easy Auto poses of various flies, Reach of the Fly-Casting School Headquarters casting, etc. After members of the class and other fine points of the art. Thi have qualified in written examinations and rovation has proved as profitable as practical demonstrations covering the sub- — ular. ects expounded in the roof lessons, ex eursions to near-by mountain streams by @Comfortable armchairs are to automobile follow. Here the students placed on British battleships and cruise: are taught all the various phases of for the use of enlisted men when off

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176 POPULAR MECHANICS SHORT RAILROAD LINK OPENS NEW CROSS-COUNTRY ROUTE Completion of the extraordinary 148- mile railroad link from San Diego, Calif., COPYRIGHT, INTERNATIONAL FILM SERVICE Driving the Golden Spike at Carriso Gorge That Completed the New Transcontinental Railroad Link, While the Locomotive Waited to Pull the First Train over the Shortened Route to Yuma, Ariz., whose final spike has just been driven at Carriso Gorge, opens a new transcontinental route. This curious line, whose brief course runs from 3,657 ft. above sea level to 49 ft. below it, was the subject of an illustrated article in this magazine for December, 1918. Its cost was about $18,000,000, or $120,000 a mile. By reason of its dip into Old Mexico to avoid an impenetrable mountain range, east of San Diego, it assumes an inter- national character. [It shortens the route across the country a good many miles, by connecting with a trunk line at Yuma. Mountain passes, tunnels, via- ducts, and desert, all are crowded into its abbreviated measure. CONCRETE CAISSONS FOR DAM SUSPENDED FROM PILING Difficulties of building a dam across the Spanish River in Ontario, Canada, a swift stream, 135 ft. wide, flowing 45 to 55 ft. deep through rock, have been overcome by unusual means. Concrete caissons were built, not on the river bed, but on timber platforms supported by piling, above and below the dam location. As the concrete set, each caisson was low- ered by screw rods, and a new section added from above. The suspended cais- sons, connected by sheet piling, form a cofferdam, in which the dam itself is being built. SPRINGS OF NEW POPULAR CAR ARE PECULIARLY ARRANGED Heretofore it has been a standard of automobile construction that the suspen- sion springs were fastened to the frame within the area defined — . of only 100 in. The ends of the frame are shaped to a broad point to accommodate this peculiar spring arrangement. The finished car was given about 250,000 miles of severe road test before it was offered on the market, and unusual claims are by the wheelbase. A new model of a popular small car departs radically from this arrangement. Its cantilever-type springs diverge at an angle from their frame fastening to the ends of the axle, like a broad “V” laid horizon- tally. The vertex of the “V” formed by the front springs is fixed to the frame at a point 15 in. ahead of the front axle. That of the rear springs Divergent Arrangement of Suspension Springs Allowing a Distance of 130 Inches between Spring Centers with a 100-Inch Wheelbase is 15 in. back of the rear axle. “Thus the distance between spring tenters is 130 in., with a car wheelbase en — -. — made for the riding qualities contributed by the novel method of suspension. eh A RAMMED na ee bee a

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[*% the solemn watches of a starless night, as though Nature herself would hide their shame, 249 men and women embarked from Ellis Island upon a Government transport, and sailed forth to an unknown destination. What they left behind they had neither learned to love nor understand. When Columbus set forth upon his voyage to unknown The | lands, if indeed any should be found, that was a journey full Open | of hope and courage. The sun shone brightly as if to light his | way. The people gathered to gladden his departure. His face Door | was set toward the direction of his voyage. In his soul glowed | an inspiration which was one of the noblest the mind of man has ever conceived. Himself and valiant crews went out into the great unknown with the same uncertainty of return that we would incur today in sailing to some distant planet. But he was guided and supported by the glory of a great ideal. Words are utterly inadequate to suggest the magnitude of the beneficent results to the entire world, as long as the Earth shall endure, of that voyage, among which not the least is this Land of the Free. A land which for 300 years has held out its inviting arms filled with hope and opportunity, to the down- trodden, the oppressed and distressed of ail other nations. Not opportunity for a select few, but opportunity for even the least deserving, and their children’s children. To this land came millions; the doors swung wide open to admit them. They were accepted on faith, and the millions upheld that faith, and a mighty struc- ture was builded, in which the smallest and the poorest was safeguarded in his rights which none might take from him. Then, in these latter days, ceme those others, with minds mean and selfish, who would tear down the structure, and plunge men into anarchy and revolution. They had nothing better to offer, nothing as good. What others had toiled and sacrificed to build up for the common good, they would destroy. Madmen without balance or constructive ideas, to whom the sanctity of home and altar is but scorn and derision; beings who would hide the light of the church under the stifling smoke of the torch, and replace peace and prosperity with chaos and the horrors of the bottomless pit; fanatics who would poison the minds of the ignorant with promises that end only in despair, and fear; distrust and famine. Such are they who sailed upon a voyage. For years a long-suffering people held their hand. They permitted anarchy and revolution to be openly spoken and printed. They held their peace while agitators became more and more bold, in denouncing the most generous gov- ernment on earth; while radicals spat upon those pages of history where our greatest men live in deeds eternal. Those of infinitesimal mind actually came to believe themselves great. They, too, each one, had their opportunity, but they refused to use it for good, and became instead a contamination. And now, at last, that Government whom these pigmies would destroy, has reached out its strong arm. With no beating of drums or blare of trumpets, but in the sublime dignity of a hundred million right-minded citizens is its majesty disclosed. Out through the door, forever closed to them, have they zone. Gone to the place they came from, but their eyes are not set hopefully toward a great ideal; they go not to discover a new world for mankind; instead they departed looking backward at the land which will no longer tolerate their presence. As a flea might say to an elephant, their last words were, “This is the beginning of the end of the United States!” Poor misguided mortals, who prefer the darkness of Russia to the torch of Liberty, which has now become for them a faming sword. They are going to their own; to the place where the dagger falls in the dark; where one day an upstart puts a thousand innocents to awful deaths, and the next day becomes himself one of a thousand to die by his successor; where the hand of each man is set against another; where a few words of jealousy inspire loss of home and family; where the lives of women and children are but as blades of dry

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POPULAR MECHANICS

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grass in a raging fire. To the place where such things are, let all go who think and preach such awful doctrine. ; More in a spirit of sorrow than revenge are these people deported. Most of them came to us amidst the squalor and discomfort of the steerage. As becomes a great Government, they are taken back under healthful conditions: their beds spread with clean linen; their food wholesome and abundant; their cabins light and sanitary. To the very last America returns them good for evil. Banished from the light of Liberty, their eyes are forever closed to it as though they were dead. We have grown to be far too tolerant of our rights. What we need is a national purging of diseased citizenship. Let but a single case of bubonic plague land upon our shores and all the strength of Federal power throughout the land springs into action to restrain it. Yet here is a plague far more insidi- | ous and deadly, striking at the very roots of our national existence. Shall we be any less active in repelling a vastly greater danger because it is not a case for hospitals and doctors? If an enemy tried to land in force to destroy us, our coast guns would roar and their echoes would arouse the land to action be- tween sunrise and sunset. Because this other danger has crawled in—like spies, one at a time—we have been careless and supine. Now let the menace be erad- icated, root and branch. For reasons, doubtless good, our Government has, in the past, been slow to act. Its leniency has been mistaken for license by the few, and has been a cause of deep apprehension to the many. But now a way has been found, ||| it is the duty and privilege of all Americans to aid their Government to the utmost in the apprehension and deportation of these undesirables. From now on, let the work be fast and unrelenting. If any mistake is to be made let it be in favor of Americanism. Far better to deport a thousand of doubtful loyalty than harbor one single disloyal traitor. And duty rests on every one of us to help, not only by the spoken word but by individual effort. Let our secret | | service number one hundred million members. Let each be vigilant, watchful, | | and active, and strengthen the arms of the service by outspoken utterances ' —— <1 9@ ——— ing DE

of approval of what the Government has begun. Demand a speedy completion of the work; let our papers carry the message to every home; let our pulpits and platforms shout it aloud; in every school from the Atlantic to the Pacific, | as young Americans gather each morning, let the message ring out clear and

strong as the one important lesson—Be Loyal Americans. N H. H. WINDSOR i} = —* — eee LK 6 Aa — — - = a — - -

STRANGE MORMON TEMPLE BUILT NEAR HONOLULU Persons unfamiliar with the missionary Now comes word that at Laie, across the activity of the “Church of Jesus Christ island of Oahu from Honolulu, the of Latter Day Saints” will be surprised .Mormon Church has completed a stately to learn that a Hawaiian version of the house of worship. This is believed to be Book of Mormon was produced in 1856. the only Mormon temple outside the con-

Many Dignitaries of the Mormon Church Participated in the Recent Dedication of This Edifice, at Laie, About 20 Miles North of Honolulu. The Structure is Said to Be the Qgly Mormon Temple outside the Continental United States

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POPULAR MECHANICS 17! — ss oe SOE rast + | — +2 se tea indies cmb oe sulla sae i se dose Le Urry; — in “ + ee» a pn ae 7 a, ee oe, vues : ~ wn . ~ ‘> Sa New Government Packing House in the Canal Zone: The Plant Not Only Serves as a Cold- Storage and Refrigerating Depot, but Bottles Milk, Cans Meat, Makes Ice and Ice Cream, and Converts Refuse into Valuable By-Products inental United States: it is at all events. remarkable for its bizarre, rectangular ippearance, The recent dedication of the temple was attended by many church dig- itaries, ISLAND OF SOLID PHOSPHATE GOES TO BRITISH CONTROL Five thousand acres of practically solid hosphate rock, rising out of the Pacific Ocean a few miles below the equator. has passed from German to British con las one of the spoils of war. Here- r Nauru, or Pleasant Island, will le its product between Great Britain tralia, and New Zealand, to be used for their agricultural development The llotments are to be readjusted every five vears to meet the requirements of each 1¢ untrv. Australia has the advantage of roximity to the island, and the avail- hbilitv of so plentiful i supply of fer- er is expected to have marked effect the extension of the continent's culti ed are CANAL ZONE FED FROM NEW CONCRETE PACKING HOUSE In accord with its policy of making the Canal Zone economically independ ent, the government has lately erected there a great packing house. that serves incidentally as a cold-storage, refrigerat- ing, and milk-bottling depot. and as an ice and ice-cream factory. In conjune- tion with the slaughtering room is main- tained a by-products establishment that finds uses tor hair, blood, fat, bones, and hides. This unified service has alr proved itself of immense value in expedit ing commissary service to passing ships and to the local civilian, military, and naval population. The governmental ap propriation of $1,500,000 was spent for three main buildings, each formed of re inforced-concrete columns, beams . 1. at Oct floor slabs, .with walls of concrete The cold-storage rooms, with their capa ity of 5,000 beef carcasses, have an le tional lining of cork \s a whol plant is probably the lara st and equipped between the [ nited State \rgenti i SWITZERLAND LURES TOURISTS BY BIWEEKLY ALPINE FLIGHTS While America’s aviation progra of monetary inanition. the little republi of Switzerland announces the increase o military and commercial activity in tl air. Eight federal aviation stations ha heen established, and are now suppl with fighting planes of a new Swiss m Of more interest to the touring publi of \merica, however, is the news that three corporations are now maintainit regular air service to the fashionab! mountain resorts. The inauguration o the service between Zurich and St. Morit was mentioned in Popular Mechanic Magazine for June, 1919. Another line takes the tourist from an airdrom in Samaden. western Switzerland, into the Bernina Mountains tothe south. The third company offers biweekly flight around the famous Matterhorn, on tl! boundary between Switzerland and [tal

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180 POPULAR MECHANICS USE FLYWHEEL AS RADIATOR DESIGN OF WINDMILLS AIDED FOR STATIONARY ENGINE BY AIR-PROPELLER STUDY The most striking feature of an im- In its usual sense, the term “efficiency” proved stationary gasoline engine, now is difficult to apply to the common wind- being manufactured in Kansas, location of its radiator in the flywheel, the greatest possible amount which is specially de- is the mill, because its duty is not to convert of wind power into mechanical signed for that pur- pose. by this means the cooling water is kept circulating through the cylinder jacket and radiator in a continuous cycle. Radiation is also as- sisted by a fan in the inner side of the fly- wheel. The intake and exhaust valves are large, and located in the detachable cylinder head. Lubrication is automatic, one engine- driven pump taking care of all oiling points. Another fea- ture is a speed-regulat- ing lever which slides on a graduated quad- rant, giving a definite power, but merely to deliver the greatest amount for its size, at a given wind velocity. Since the modern air propeller, however, is in effect an inversion of the windmill principle, the mill designer has a great deal to gain through study of the very highly developed theory of air screws. Small windmills of dynamic type already are used on air craft for driving generators and pumps, and one of these, 2 ft. in diameter, developed 2.1 hp. at 3,750 r.p.m., in a wind velocity of 90 miles an hour. Similar methods speed and power for each specific use of the ely B ie Dee Is in the common stationary mill motor. Its substantial and compact construction particularly fit it for farm or general outdoor work. of design applied to the should produce as in- teresting results, to the advantage of the manufacturer as well as the user. EDGED TOOLS OF NEW ALLOY ARE CAST TO SHAPE Machine tools of many cutting edges, such as milling cutters, are simply cast, practically to their finished shape, of being laboriously ground from blanks, by the use of a remarkable steel alloy instead developed out of the war shortage of ___-—s-—svhtuungsten and. vanadium. The i tools are cast within “6 to % in. of size for finishing, saving a great deal of material and labor, and effectually disposing of the the new alloy are as smooth as good forgings, do not scale or change shape in tempering, and produce thin cutting edges. A a substitute for high-speed steel in tools and dies, the perform- ance records of the material show a surprising capacity for work, with little resulting wear on the cutting edges. It handles its Collection of Cutting Tools, Made of the New Steel Alloy, Cast —— work hot or cold with equal facility, and is unusually resistant to Shape, and Needing Only a Grinding Opera- ° ° tion to Finish Them to temperature changes. scrap question. The castings of wer eee

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FRONT PORTION iS OIL TANK GASOLINE TANK HOLDING | TWIN-CYLINDER, 40-HP. ENGINE FUEL FOR 125 MILES TWO-BLADED PROP ; a

. 8 OF THE 16 NUTS TO BE UNDONE TO REMOVE PLANE. —

AILERON AIR-SPEED INDICATOR oe —=CONTROL Ou * ~ oe ~~ P * 7 40-HP. ENGINE \ TWO-BLADED PROPELLER ee

7 Te ; \ _ _— - ok if ar Ot = ENGINE THROTTLE ~*~. al —— ce 5 “ ‘ | OR AIR-SPEED ‘ / 7, o PITOT TUBE’ > INDICATOR ed Dressed in Full Flying Equipment, the Average Airman Weighs Just About as Much as This Little Sport- ing Monoplane. This Lightness has been Achieved by Eliminating Every Unnecessary Feature, with the Exception, Perhaps, of the Aluminum Shield Which Protects the Pilot’s Legs. The Machine should Land within 100 Feet, as Light Weight and Low Speed Make Landing Momentum Very Small SMALLEST BRITISH AIRPLANE WEIGHS 220 POUNDS Clearly inspired by Santos-Dumont’s and wire. The entire lifting surface may, Demoiselle” of 1907, is the “Crow,” small- in fact. be removed after unscrewing a few est airplane on the English market. In nuts. The propeller, engine, and gasoline hoth monoplanes, the twin-cylinder engine tank form a complete unit, which is de- is set on the heading edge of the single tached with similar ease. The wing span plane, only a few feet above the head of in 15 ft., and the over-all length 14 ft the pilot, who sits with his feet between The speed is 65 miles an hour, which the landing wheels. This new machine can be reduced to less than 30 for land- shows the modern tendency, however, in ing. The total weight is but 220 Ib.; the the elimination of every possible stay price is expected to be $2,000, or less. 181

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182 POPULAR MECHANICS GRAVITY-OPERATED MACHINES ASSIST FRUIT PICKERS By combining endless-belt conveyors with ladders, a western inventor has pro- ODD CONTROL SYSTEM GOVERNS FLIGHT OF NEW HELICOPTER Largely because of rumored support by the French government, the coming trials ~ = of a new French helicopter are being awaited with considerable interest. In general layout, the machine resembles a conventional monoplane, with fuselage and the usual tail surfaces. Each wing, however, is replaced by a four- bladed lifting screw, or more ex- actly, by four rotating wings of ordinary wood-and-fabric con- struction. The notable peculiarity of these radial wings is that their incidence may be altered, by con- trols in the pilot’s cockpit, along any desired are of their circular path. Thus each wing, as it passes a given point, may be tilted up, then down again. In this way the lifting power of each wing is increased or de- creased to the right, to the left, Fruit is Lowered by Grovieg, and Dumped into Packing Boxes to the front, or to the rear, giving by These Devices. The duced labor and timesaving contrivances for fruit pickers. One of these devices comprises a portable wooden frame, on one side of which is placed a ladder. The conveyor belt runs over pulleys near the top and bottom of the frame. Fruit dropped into the conveyor buckets is carried downward by gravity, and emptied into a canvas apron, from which it is diverted into a packing box. Another somewhat taller machine, made of steel, operates on the same principle, but dumps fruit directly into a box from the buckets, not being equipped with an apron. HERO OF ATLANTIC FLIGHT DIES IN AIRPLANE CRASH Capt. Sir John Alcock, hero of the first nonstop flight over the Atlantic Ocean, is dead. While flying on December 18, last vear, near Cottevrard, in Normandy, France, his plane crashed to earth, in- flicting injuries that next day proved fatal. Though Captain Alcock was but 28 years old at the time of his death, few men were older in point of flying ex- perience. He had spent approximately 5,000 hours in the air, this total includ- ing many spectacular bombing raids over Turkish cities, in addition to the 16-hour flight which made his name a household word all over the world. achine on the Left Has a Steel Frame, While That on the Right is Constructed of Wood the pilot both lateral and longi- tudinal control. Climbing, of course, is achieved by direct lift of the rotating .wings, and horizontal flight is accomplished when the vertical axes are tilted forward, producing a _ horizontal thrust component. GAUGE FOR LASTS ASSURES CORRECT FORM OF SHOE Lasts on which shoes are made may be checked for accuracy within a thou- sandth of an inch by a new precision instrument designed by a Maine man- ufacturer. The micrometer adjustments Gauge for Measuring Shoe Lasts, Accurate to the Thousandth of an Inch by Micrometer Adjustment

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POPULAR MECHANICS 18:3 test the exactness of each im- tant point on the last may be set to desired form and size and used as permanent gauge for that particular le. or changed in a- moment to fit other DES lhe machine also indicates the rrect heel height for each last, holding the position of the shoe on the oot. lor all its accuracy, it 1s 7 imple. STAND FOR PARLOR LAMP IS GOLDFISH AQUARIUM For the occasional display of a few specimens, the goldfish fancier can no aquarium more attractive than a ently invented combination lamp and wl. In consequence of its double func- the glass bowl is cylindrical or vase- shape, its bottom resting of carved wood. the top bears similar support These Vaselike Supports for the Parlor Lamp are Intended for Use as Goldfish Aquariums. The Electric Threaded through a Glass Tube in the Cente: he bulb il d shade | rom hbottom to f the bowl extend i glass tune igh which is Passt 1 the necessafry The oriental aspect of the howls shades so far produced is explained the tact that the inventor is a | panes BODY OF NEW ROLLING CHAIR RESEMBLES CLOSED CAR I:;quipped with an enameled sheet-metal hody, which is similar to that of a closed 1utoumobile, a new rolling chair affords protection for passengers, regardless of weather conditions. The interior is up- holstered, soft cushions being covered with imitation leather. and a ceiling light is provided. Other features are trans parent curtains and glass windows, which can be adjusted in a few seconds, and a heating device. In spite of the fact that Closed-Body Rolling Chair: This Vehicle is Provided with a Ceiling Light, Transpareut Curtains, and a Heating Device it is larger than an ordinary rolling chair, the novel contrivance is several pounds lighter, and should be easier to wheel ANGLE-MEASURING PERISCOPE DIRECTS ARTILLERY FIRE Inge wus ind accurate fire-directii instruments shared with careful gun dé ign and ne . ending practice ‘ espo i] | oO i) ¢ ren ] ible 1 uit Oo} ren tillery fire durit the World Wat One of the clever cst oO! hese 1 struments devel oned toward t end oft the St v o| Was named th« “neriscoptie goniometer.” It i ordinary goni ' ometer, or angl measuret fitted 1 ror use in the trenches by th iddition of a per iscope to the sighting arm a ta Masking the head with a few leaves. the artillery officer thus equipped cot safely observe his fire from the most ad vanced of the first-line trenches. sic]

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184 POPULAR MECHANICS BLOW-RESISTING PAPER CAPS DISPLAY GREAT STRENGTH Astonishingly strong paper caps, Ca- pable of withstanding powertul blows, os eeepc Oe ——e ~ a Protective PaperCaps:Two | Styles are Shown Above. At the Right, One of the Devices is Supporting hree Men hs ~ though extremely light in weight, have been invented by a shipyard employe, and are intended to be worn by workmen whose duties expose them to danger from falling objects. The process by which the novel headgear is produced has not been divulged, but it is known that chemicals are employed to harden the material, with- out adding to its weight. Several styles have been made, the lightest weighing about 7 oz., and others dnly slightly more. In a recent test, a 1-lb. bolt was dropped on one of them from a height of 40 ft., with the result that a barely perceptible dent was made in the paper. The novel head coverings are proof against water and acids, and are nonconductors of electricity. ELECTRIC CLOCK CHIMES PLAY DIFFERENT TUNE EACH HOUR Working during his spare time for six years, an electrician has completed an in- genious chiming attachment that can be installed in any clock of the hall, or “grandfather,” variety. Like a_ player piano in theory, the attachment consists of eight hammers which strike small tone pipes as the perforated metal “roll” makes proper contacts. On the roll are 12 tunes, one of which is played for 3) sec onds just before each hour is struck. If the music is not desired during the nig] the attachment may be silenced by the turn of a switch. Both clockwork and attachment are run automatically by cur- rent taken through a simple transforme: from an ordinary electric-lamp socket. if ai TOURING AIRPLANE HAS UPPER AND LOWER BERTHS Night flying in war time is hazardous business. Ground lights are everywhere concealed: even the friendly airdrome is reluctant to announce itself by adequate display of flares and searchlights. There is one Frenchman, however, who is con- vinced that night flying in times of peace is a different matter. He has fitted the fuselage of his Breguet biplane with two sleeping cots, placed one above the other In these his passengers sleep when their journey must be continued into the night. During the day, the cots are collapsed and replaced by comfortable chairs. Fully as Comfortable as the First Sleeping-Car Berths, Are These, the First Airplane Sleeping Quarters. Constructed of Canvas and Steel Tubing, the Two Beds are Easily Collapsed and Replaced by Comfortable Chairs for Daytime Touring. For the Purpose of Illustration, the Side of the Fuselage has been Partly Removed; the Passengers are Entirely Inclosed during Actual Flight ” a aes

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FREIGHTERS BUILT ON TWIN-CYLINDER HULLS

Construction of a New Type of Ship: The Method of Building the Two Huge Steel Cylinders of the Hull is Clearly Revealed. These Buoyant Chambers Are Separate, and Either will Float the Ship If the Other is Flooded an cae OA ats Set oR TRIN, OE” --

Though not differing reatly in outward ap- earance from the con- ntional form of steel reighter, a new type of hip recently launched at New Orleans for the rench government is lly of most unusual onstruction, partaking ymewhat of the catama- an character. The hull built of two huge, air- tight cylinders, laid side by side and joined by the bottom and deck plates. The cylinders are 20 ft. in diameter, and they and the space be- tween them, which is used to carry the fuel oil, are divided by cross bulk- heads into eight com- partments, making a total of 24 for the ship. The vessel’s over-all

. length is 328 ft. 4 in., its | xz b >< 6 5 i ’ - = ionediened * _ 46 ft. » in., and me 3 = In the Stern View of the Completed dratt, 16 It. 2 in. A triple- | iso Ship, Its Peculiarities of Design Be- expansion /00-hp. engine [aaa aenaaseione

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186 POPULAR MECHANICS d its boiler is installed in each cylinder. [he peculiar form of construction was idopted as a war measure. The double hull is considered unsinkable, and a per- fect protection against torpedo attack, as the ship can proceed under half power with the other half out of commission, and one cylinder flooded. Five of these cratt are being built. DANGEROUS DUTIES PERFORMED BY MINE-SWEEPER CREWS Countless mines still menace ocean shipping, in spite of the fact that the war ended months ago. and the task of re moving these dangerous devices is pro- viding hazardous employment for many men. A strong steel cable, strung through the water by a pair of mine sweepers, is used to gather the deadly contrivances. \When a mine is caught, a swimmer, tak ing his life in his hands, leaves one of the boats, paddles to the explosive-filled shell, and removes the detonator, which serves to set off the charge when a vessel strikes the engine of destruction. By this risky operation, the mine is rendered practically harmless. } Removing the Deto- nator from a Mine: After This Hazardous Operation has been Performed, the En- . gine of Destruction Is erg TP No Longer Dangerous :

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO TO BE SITE OF ARMY RECUPERATION CAMP When the American doughboy is con sistently late for “mess formation” in an army post on the Hawaiian Islands, the commanding officer, without medical diagnosis, can name the cause. The soldier is suffering from tropical languor, an ailment akin to spring fever, but the result of too much ukelele playing and moon gazing on the beach at Waikiki rhe old recuperation camp, maintained by the army for these cases, has for se eral years been unused. But anothe: camp is to be established, and this time in one of the most picturesque and salu brious locations in the world. Haleakala, the extinct volcano that rises 10,000 ft above the shores of Maui, has been chosen as the site. Breathing the frosty air ot the summit, the “tropic-softened” soldier will regain their wonted “pep.” FAMOUS BAY OF FUNDY TIDES BASIS OF NEW POWER PLAN Where the estuaries of the Petitcodia and Memramcook rivers meet at th: - head of Nova Scotia’s Bay of Kundy, famous for its high tides, a Canadian engineer proposes to build a system of dams_ that would generate continuously from 90,000 to 200,000 hp. Th < o| plan is to dam the 4,900-ft. mouth “—s of the Petitcodiac on the west and the slightly narrower mout! of the Memramcook on the east converting the former into a high-level, and the latter into a low-level basin \ wing dam would connect the juiuction of the two main dams to the point ot land between, with the powell house built on a diagonal from the west dam to the wing, leaving a three-cornered spillway. In flow gates in the western, and outflow gates in the eastern dam, would automatically keep che two basins at high and low stage as the tides rose and fell. Gates in the spillway would be operated by attendants. With this ar- rangement, it is calculated that the effective head would alway range between 131% and 281% ft., figuring on a 32-ft. tide. In the Say of Fundy tides as high as 45 ft. are by no means uncommon. COPYRIGHT, INTERNATIONAL

Bin. Sb PD 0

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ec er rege gaan 7 noe eM (ee, POPULAR MECHANICS 187 SOUND AND LIGHT RUN CAR AND RING BELL Starting, steering, and stopping a model ito by blowing an ordinary police histle, an English entist recently gave triking demonstra- of the possibili- of distant control achinery. The lit- electrically driven with its manikin sengers, started rd at the first of sound. An- selectively lighted. Control by light rays was illustrated by the ringing of a gong NTERNATIONAL FILM SERVICE e Miniature Auto Controlled by Sound Waves Is at the Left. The Front-Wheel Drive and Trailing Rear Wheels Are Interesting. The Larger View Shows the Control of a Gong by Light Rays her note from the whistle turned it und, and a third stopped it at its start- g place. By blowing whistles of varying ne, a series of small electric lamps were BURNER REMOVES LOCOMOTIVE TIRES IN TEN MINUTES In the shops of a western railroad the eel tires of locomotive drivewheels are removed for repairs in 10 20 minutes. This is ittlee longer than the time required by a good mechanic to remove the rubber tires of a motor truck The remarkable peed is attributable to the use of a gas heating ring, which, clamped about the wheel, contin- uously bathes the tire in flame. Such uniform and powerful treatment rap- idly expands the tire, and enables the workmen to slip it off. The burner itself is made in the form of two hinged, semicircu- connected to light-sensitive cells, when the illumination of a hand lamp was thrown upon them, thereby reducing their electrical resistance. lar arcs, each of which is drilled at 14- in. intervals. The supply pipe feeds a maximum of 1,000 cu. ft. of gas per hour through a tee near the hinge. The ring is easily carried to any part of the shop. The Circular Gas Heater is Shown at‘ the Right with Gas Burning from Jets, Spaced One and a Half Inches Apart; at the Left, as Actually Used in the Repair Shop

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188 LIGHTHOUSE GUIDES AIRMEN BY VERTICAL BEAM Lighthouses, or their equivalent, are just as necessary tor the guidance of the airplane pilot as for the satety of the PYRIGHT, WESTERN NEWSPAPER Placed on the Landing Field, This Portable Acetylene Lighthouse”’ Sends Its Beam High into the Darkened Such Beacons Are Essential Adjuncts to Europe’s Growing Air Commerce Sky. sailor of the sea. The need of such aid to ierial navigation has been felt particularly in Europe, where so many companies are maintaining regular service between the larger cities. Various types have been evolved, but none more satisfactory than a beacon used on English landing fields. The light itself is set in a vertical cylin- der of iron, which is placed on the ground, and covered by a glass cupola. Thus the intermittent beam is shot straight into the air, instead of horizontally as in the mari- time lighthouse. @An American oil company suffered in- direct but no less severe embarrassment in the Chinese students’ boycott of Japa- nese goods, because it shipped its product from Port Arthur, Tex., which the Chi- nese took to be Japan’s Port Arthur. POPULAR MECHANICS BLOCK ONE RIVER CHANNEL TO IMPROVE ANOTHER from Savannah, Ga., to the sea, some 12 miles, the Savannah River runs in two channels, and finds a third outlet through St. Augustine Creek, connecting just be low the city. The north channel from this point to the mouth is deepened, by dredging, and by closing dams, to from 26 to 30 ft. Vast quantities of silt, how ever, are constantly depositing in the channel, and now the plan is to close the z south channel by a rock-fill dam aboyv: i St. Augustine Creek, cutting a cross con : nection to the creek by way of Haber sham Creek. This will turn the floy wholly into the north channel, and scour it clear, but will reduce the access of tid water. A former government enginee: therefore proposes a movable dam at i eitaihion ‘the lower end of the south channel, ad mitting tide water, but allowing its escape only by passing downstream through the north channel with the natural current of the river, thus supplying additiona water when it is most needed. VERTICAL BUMPERS PROTECT REAR END OF AUTO Rear-end collisions will not damag: the motor car that is equipped with a ney type of bumper, according to the invento The device consists of two U strips of spring steel, which are designe: to be attached in vertical position to tl back of an automobile, one on each sid There they are intended to engage t ordinary horizontal front bumper ot inother machine, and prevent it fron shape Senta pee 1 } I coming in contact with the body or fend ers of the car on which they are carried Vertical Spring-Steel Bumpers, Attached to the Back of an Automobile, Protect the Machine from Damage in Rear-End Collisions

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: | hate yar POPULAR MECHANICS 189 —- ry 1h. + Sa ‘3 et | s A af — - le ge 5 ae ar! ory One of the Strange and Impressive Fleet That Steamed across a Texas Prairie When the Town of itree was Moved by Tractors from Its Old and Isolated Position to a Brand New Site on the Railroad WHOLE TOWN HAULED TO NEW SITE BY TRACTORS By PAUL H. A> TONISHING spectacles are not de- . pendent upon novel details for their rprise element; it is generally the effect the whole that amazes. If a horse- n crossing the trackless plains should ee in the distance, for example, a collec- tion of stores and dwellings of the usual pe, he would merely assume that he found a landmark. But if, when he oked again, the town had changed its lace, and, furthermore, if the barber shop id usurped the position of the post- thee, while a church was trying to over- take a slow-moving bungalow, the lone rider probably would be shocked. Then would occur to him that the mirage as exceptionally good, or that the sun finally had “got him.” Houses have been moved on occasion ever since rollers and block and tackle vere discovered. Tractors habitually haul enormous loads and get only brief applause; and not infrequently of late, they have been used to shift buildings about, as the pages of this magazine have testified. Yet when every building in a village of 300 inhabitants is hitched to a tractor and pulled across the prairie to a new site, astonishment is excusable. That is exactly what happened not long ago, however, down in the Texas “pan- handle,” where they are accustomed to doing things in a big way. WOODRUFF The little town of Ochiltree was dis- appointed in a lifelong ambition when a new railroad across its county passed it by, and went, instead, through a still smaller but rival settlement over to one side. It did not take long for an indig- nant committee of the whole to determine to emulate Mohammed, and take Ochil- tree bodily to the railroad. And so, with the aid of all the tractors available, the town moved over and joined its sister community, thereby acquiring its coveted place on the railroad map. MISSIONARY MOVIES TO SHOW HIDDEN LIFE OF FAR EAST Phases of life in North Africa, China, India, and Burmah, ordinarily imaccess ble to tourists, are to be registered on some 50 reels of movie film for the in- formation of American church and the- ater-goers. Two separate expeditions, representing a powerful association of church workers, already have left for the scenes of the new effort, equipped to penetrate, by horse and camel, to the most remote districts of the eastern con- tinents. Social and industrial conditions of the oriental hinterland are to be in- vestigated as another function of the ex- peditions. The first pictures are expected to be available next March.

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1) POPULAR CONGREGATION DISAGREES, SO CHURCH HAS TWO BELFRIES In a Kentucky village stands a little frame church, easily distinguishable by its odd twin belfries. Most edifices of this oe The Duplication of Bell Towers on This Little Frame Church Is the Result of a Difference of Opinion. The Carpenter Built a Tower to Please Each Faction size and type are ornamented with but one, and a single tower was the intention ot the builders, in this case. But one part of the congregation insisted that the bel- fry was placed at the wrong side of the ‘uditorium. A second faction stood firm for things as planned. A serious ecclesi astical entanglement was thus in sight, when the carpenter in charge decided to cut the Gordian knot. He built two bel- Iries, one to satisiv each faction. @ The pampered silkworms of Japan are to be offered an improved menu, with the uid of science. \ noted American horti- culturist has agreed to develop a _ better mulberry tree for their diet, at the request = ilk producer in Japan. MECHANICS NITRATE FROM EXPLOSIVES MAKES GOOD FERTILIZER \bout the only agricultural use for ex plosives that is familiar to the average farmer is in blasting out stumps or cut ting drainage ditches. An Italian scientist however, has found that explosives con taining nitrate of ammonia may readily) be converted into high-grade fertilizer The nitrate is dissolved out in a measured quantity of water in special containers The saturated solution which results after standing for a time is decanted, and peat powder is added to it. Evaporation then yields a “nitrated peat” containing 42.8 per cent of nitrate. The fertilizing valu of this substance is shown by tests to be nearly equal to that of sodium nitrate. ELECTRIC AUTO OF NEW TYPE COMPETES WITH GAS CARS One of the most interesting offerings in new autos this season is a small elec tric car which promises to match the popular gas-car models in first cost and radius of action, and completely to out distance them in operating economy Among the new car’s novel features | the use of a small, light motor hung on the rear axle, its armature driving. one wheel and its rotating field driving the other, thus entirely doing away with a differential gear. Reduction is by internal and external gears of almost equal size Regenerative braking recharges the bat tery while coasting, and automatically slows the car on a down grade. A small charging set carried on the car makes it independent of service stations. The con trol is centered in a single pedal; thre weight of the car is only about a thousan pounds. The Simple Method by Which the Driving Motor is Suspended in the Rear Axle, Eliminating the Differen- tial, is Seen at the Left. The Right View Gives an Idea of the Size and Appearance of the New ar, which Is Unusually Light and Economical 7 ah a ee ae

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I ee “ wt Denn » ad pe of Dredger Used to Dig the Channels in the Tract being Reclaimed near Salt Lake City: These Enor mous Machines Cut a Quarter Mile of Trench Six Fect Deep and Two to Six Feet Wide Each Day. Two of Them Are in Service DESERT TO BE SALT LAKE CITY MARKET GARDEN By FREDERI R CLAMATION of 7,250 acres of land lying between Salt Lake City and eat Salt Lake, and its conversion into ranch capable of producing foodstuffs to ply the needs of the Utah capital. is being vigorously prosecuted by pri Some dozen years ago the lederal government undertook to reclaim tract and actually began work, permitted it to lapse, and the reage passed into the hands of he present owners at a nominal ce. The project lay dormant ntil recently, however, when, ex- ustive tests of the soil having proved the land capable of great fertility, the owners conceived he plan of establishing a great city-supply farm on the desolate ind salt-incrusted tract. \lready $275,000 has been ex- pended in the reclamation work, 1 engineers engaged on the project estimate that an addiz tional $125,000 will be required to complete it. This work involves the construction of a system of small drainage canals crisscrossing the tract and empty- ing into two larger and central channels which convey the surplus salt water into te interests. the ic (reat Salt Lake. For unnumbered years the tract has been saturated with salt > KINNEY deposits. al d the Snows of winter ind rains of summer have left the land boggy waste, so far as the surface ground is concerned. \t an average depth of three feet. however, there is a solid a1 exceedingly rich subsoil. To drain the . . j ‘ — ] surface of its water and upturn the soil the task of the engineers Dredged Canal, Emptying into Great Salt Lake in the Distance: It Carries Off the Underground Water Accumulated by Network of Tile Drains Installed in the Ground rhe drainage canals will require ap proximately 66 miles of piping, which wil be laid in gridiron fashion over the tract and ordinary tile drainage is expected to relieve the clogged underground not mous dredging machinery is employed in digging the open canals. The dredgers 191

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192 POPULAR MECHANICS are of the bucket type and dig a channel of an average depth of six feet in sur- prisingly short time. Two of these ma- chines are now at work on the project. Before cultivation 1S possible, the sage- brush common to the Great Salt Lake region must be removed. This will be done by what is known as the “railing” process. Two ordinary railroad rails are placed parallel with each other and riveted together about two feet apart. They are then dragged over the surface, clipping the sagebrush close to the roots. The ground, previously freed from its surplus water by the drainage, is then ready for the plowman. The first plowing will be 18 in. deep. The top soil, on which the alkali salts have gathered, will be turned under to the full depth of the plowing. When FARM TRACTOR TURNS FERRIS WHEEL IN EMERGENCY Looking strangely out of place, a mud- caked farm tractor recently chugged into the crowded carnival grounds of a town in The Versatility of the Farm Tractor was Demonstrated Once Again When This Machine was Substituted for the Disabled Engine of the Carnival’s Ferris Wheel the land surface is plowed under, the alkali deposits will be drawn away with the water flowing through the network of tiling. It is the purpose of the owners of thx tract to devote the reclaimed land mainly to the raising of vegetables and fruits. for which a ready market is at hand in Salt Lake City, but live-stock breeding is also contemplated. The enterprise merely duplicates near’a large center of population other successful reclamations of desert lands; but as the first attempt to convert the bleak territory between the Utah capital and Great Salt Lake into fertile fields, to create a city food supply depot on the edge of a desert, it is of more than ordinary interest, and, perhaps, without counterpart anywher: on the globe. rural Illinois. Uncouth as it was, it brought joy to the girls and boys, and in- cidentally to the carnival manager, who had all been disappointed by the motor less inactivity of the Ferris wheel, th: show’s most alluring attraction. The tractor was guided to a position near the driving pulley; the belt was stretched, and the big wheel soon turned once more. Thy machine played the role of merrymaker every bit as well as it had once pulled gangplows and helped thrash the grain. NEARLY TWO HUNDRED SHOTS TO SINK CONCRETE SHIP Fire attacked a cargo of coal in \merican concrete ship lying at anchor i the harbor of Lisbon, Portugal, a fi weeks ago,. and in half an hour it had gained such headway that other shipping was endangered, and it became necessary to sink the vessel. \t this seeming! simple task a Portuguese gunboat worke: all night, firing the astonishing total o# 189 shells into the 3,000-ton stone hul before it finally listed and went down the deep wate: at the mouth of tl Tagus River. The glow of the Surning vessel, and the warship’s desperate bom bardment, made a spectacle that kept thousands of excited suspense for hours. spectators 1) @ Bank notes printed by an American company for circulation in Java are so attractively engraved that, on first ap pearance, they were hoarded by the Chi- nese and native population. — + alienate oot ete

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a be acleene — eee NEW MOUNTAIN ROAD NOW OPEN TO TRAFFIC By JOHN EDWIN HOGG 6 hin Ridge Route over the La Liebre reduce the danger of skidding for motor mountain range, conceded by road vehicles. All dang rous turns are fitted eers to be one of the most remark- ith high concrete curbings, and the les pieces of highway ever built, has completed and opened to traffic. extraordinary piece of mountain is 30 miles in length, and wil! liforni ct southern Cal a with the aquin \ alles by the shortest and ct route Ridge Route is a marvel of high- struction in many ways. It re touring distance between P coast points 36 miles, and in »t the Tact ny ee goes over the “ La Liebre “ + DY the most Through the high Moun- ect route, 1t con- tain Passes, There Is ns no eradient Often Sncw on the New Road, as Pictured Above At the Left Is Visibie the Heavy Concrete Curb That Protects Danger- ous Turns per than six per Che road is with con- te throughou: the sur noth Ol er turns are pro- + 1 : . tected Wit being rein- plank rencing lhere iré s¢ veral points along th road that reach sucl vation as to hye 1) dat } ] being closed by snow 11 ng a portion of the veat ? my oo ] + ~{ nese Stretches afré protec rn ed bv snow fences, and dut is) ing the winter months rae to snowplow ts eae se will be x 1 1 maintained to keep the road open at all times rhe road traverses i country that is of wor re Are Hundreds of Cuts like s through Solid Granite, Made to Keep the Grade Down dertul sce wis beauty with the concrete pave ment extending through the mountains for a dis tance of 30 miles. rom the ends of the mountain pavement highways of asphalt connect with Lo \ngeles and San Fran cisco No other highway vet attempted ap proaches the Ridg rced with steel bars. | the concrete layer ing 415 in. thick. ie construction ot he Ridge road embod- s details that make it he world’s model of lountain highways. It the first mountain road r built looking exclu ively to motor travel. Route for sheer Sharp curves have been The Heavy Line of the New Route, and (acit Mi of engineering e iminated as much as 6 Fah — conception. The road, was possible, considering often contemplated, w the mountainous nature of the coun- considered impossible of achievement ry it traverses. What sharpturnsthere are until 1912, when the preliminary survey ire banked steeply on the outside to was made. Grading was begun in 1914, Popular Mechanics features will appear in moving pictures issued by Paramount Magazine, 193

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194 POPULAR MECHANICS and the completion of the highway ne- concrete reservoirs at convenient points cessitated the removal of 1,000,000 cu. along the route. The total cost of the 30- yd. of rock and earth. To construct the mile mountain road was $1,150,000, but iS a _ since the highway will carry approximately 1,000 machines a day, its original cost will soon be returned to the state. The reduction in distance alone will ef- fect a saving of ap- proximately $6,000 a day in motor fuel, and th: touring time betwee: Engineering Skill of High Order was Needed to Build the Road among the Mountain Peaks > 30 miles of pavement, which is 20 ft. in width, water had to be sup- plied by means of an aqueduct 35. miles in length (there being no local supplies of wa- ter sufficient for the Cialis ee on ee task in the entire 30 Sharp Curves of the New Road are Banked 15 Degrees, like a Race Track, to Reduce the Danger of Skidding to a Minimum mountainous miles). The water problem, in the mixing of the north and south Pacific-coast points will concrete, necessitated constructing several be reduced by fully three hours. SHALLOW -DRAFT MOTORBOAT TO EXPLORE RIVER Foiled in several attempts to explore a professional man of Boston has sent to the Rio Negro, a tributary of the Amazon Brazil a motorboat designed to surmount these obstacles. Thoug! the craft is 45 ft. lons and has a beam of 14 it it draws only 2 ft. ol water. The propelle: and rudder are placed 1 a tunnel at the stern, so that they do not extend below the keel. Powe! is furnished by a 30-hy kerosene engime, sup plied with fuel by tanks holding: 1,200 gal., on which quantity of oil the vessel can travel 1,800 — miles at a speed of eight Picterbons Beth Sor Revtocing 5 Soph, Amecine, Rivers Dewees it miles an hour. Screens and awnings are pro River, because of the numerous rapids, vided for protection against insects and sand bars, and shallow stretches that the sun’s rays. A compact kitchen and make -navigation of the stream difficult, sleeping quarters are other features. TITY 7 ee

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POPULAR MECHANICS 195 AMERICAN SOLDIER PACIFIES WAR-RIDDEN CAUCASUS that strange region where the head \sia Minor rests against the continent rf Europe between the slack and Caspian seas, ter religious war has unceasingly fort 2,000 years. Here Turkoman Mongols \zerbaijan, in north- Persia, Mohammed- if the tanatic type, ( constantly to over- 1¢ ind exterminate e Christian Armenians. ’ut of this seething cal- 1 of orienta! hatred, \merican army ofh- icting as allied high iged ROOMY “COUNTRY-HOUSE” CAR LIKE OLD-TIME CARRYALL The modern auto of graceful curve never has wh ily lent itself to the multi nmissioner in the Cau- Reminiscent of the Old Carryall, This Modern Country-House Car is, has brought the Accommodates a Load of Freight and Baggage besides Its Eight Passengers peace of its history. treaty has been signed by the premiers \zerbaijan and Armenia, and the .\merican becomes personal arbiter of disagreements. LITTLE SAFETY RAZOR HELD BY THUMB AND FOREFINGER The traveling man will be interested in new safety razor, which, being littl rger than the blade it holds, can be car- | conveniently in the vest pocket. Any ingle or double-edged, heavy or t, may be used, as it is simply clamped » place. To use the little razor, the er grasps the hinged grips between humb and forefinger. Holding it in this he is able to ply it with confidence 1 The Little Safety Razor Above will Hold Any Blade. Gripped_ be- tween the Thumb and Fore- finger, It is Applied to the Face as at the MT PRESS ILLUSTRATING GERVICE Left n a crowded, lurching Pullman wash- room. As there are no unattached parts. except for the blades, the razor is always ady for duty. farious duties of the old-fashioned carry all. The general-utility vehicle used for runs into town from a country estat inust carry guests, luggage, and all the purchases that are made on the trip. A: eastern dealer has fitted to a moderate priced chassis a new type ol body that meets all these requirements. The nat ural-wood panel sides carry three cro scats, accommodating eight persons it high tailboard on chains admits a prising amount of baggage to the ope 1 mace under the seats. ARKANSAS OFFERS SETTLERS HALF MILLION ACRES \rkansas is offering exceptional oppor tunity to homesteaders just now \ tot of 520,000 acres of land is open for tlement, 300,000 acres of it government holdings and the other 220,000 land that has been forfeited to the state for taxes The state land is available, by filing, to any American head of a family, 21 vears or more old. Van Buren County, in the central part. leads the government hold ings with 47,480 acres, and Washington County, in the northwest, tops the state list with 40,960 acres. @ An electric light and power enterprise at Osaka, Japan, will have the largest steam-power electric installation in the Far East with the completion of a plant now being erected. It will have two 25, 000-kw. turbine units of American make

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196 POPULAR MECHANICS REPLICA OF ALCOCK’S BIPLANE WINS RACE TO AUSTRALIA Flying a Vickers biplane almost identical with the transatlantic machine, Capt. Ross M. Smith, with three companions, a few weeks ago completed the 16,- 000-mile journey from England to ANCIENT FALLS OF NIAGARA FOUND BY CANAL DIGGERS Niagara Falls, nature’s American mas- terpiece, is merely the successor to a grander cataract that, eons ago, shook the forests about the present site of Thorold, Ontario. This opinion is held by several engineers who have inspected the local excavations for the new Wel land ship canal. Here, 10 miles south of Lake Ontario and the ARABIA AFRICA Flying a Vickers-Vimy Biplane over : C\g the Itinerary Charted Above, the Air- ¥ man Won a Purse of $50,000 Offered er by the Australian Government S) Australia. As a result, he pockets the prize of $50,000 offered by the Australian government to _ the first Australian airman to make the trip in a British air- Ty W OCEAN Z\WAELBOURN f > ‘ ° c Sia : e : PRP ACAFIC same distance west of the ty) present waterfall, pre- Mitty ti . . ¢ bj} cipitous ledges have beet uncovered, over which water from Lake Erie is thought to have poured in seeking the lower markable evidence of the rocks themselves, these bearing unmistakable signs of erosion through countless years. 2 matter of fact, it has long been surmised by scien- tists that the discharge from Lake Erie followed other routes during two distinct glacial epochs, MALAY PY : : PENIN] 27 level. In support of this ; f Ne theory is adduced the re ) plane and within a period of 30 days. The winner left Hounslow, England, under the happiest omen, his big plane being put through its final test by Sir John Alcock, first to cross the Atlantic in a nonstop flight. From Houns- low, Captain Smith flew to Paris, then to Rome, Saloniki, Cairo, Damascus, Bag- dad, Bushire, Bandar Abbas, Karashi, Delhi, Allahabad, Rangoon, Bangkok, Singapore, and finally to Port Darwin on the northern tip of Australia. French Steamer “Dumbea,’”’ Capsized in Dry Dock: diverting water from Niagara until it drained only one-eighth of its present territory. STEAMER TURNS ON ITS SIDE WHEN DRY DOCK IS FLOODED An accident of unusual character in- terrupted a course of ordinary repair work on the French steamer “Dumbea” a short time ago, costing the lives of two men and doing considerable damage to prop- The End of the Mast in the Left View Crushed the Roof of a Shed on Shore, and Came to Rest on the Dock Wall. The Ship went Clear Over on Its Beam Ends, as the Right View Indicates endpage aoel “| _

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' POPULAR MECHANICS 193 erty. The packet boat had been in dry ock at Marseilles, France, for some six veeks, and the space was needed for tther work, so water was admitted to the lock, with the purpose of completing the repairs afloat. As the vessel lifted, it was observed to list badly to port, and before ny ballast could be shifted, all the loose ontents of hold and deck rushed to the lepressed side, and the ship went over mn its heam ends. The gangplanks were crushed, and the smokestacks and masts crashed down upon the dock wall, one ast smashing the roof of an empty shop. Only one of the 350 men on deck was lost. the other casualty occurring in the ngine room. CONCRETE MULE BARN ERECTED BY COAL-MINING COMPANY Comfortable quarters for the mules em- ployed in a Kentucky coal mine are pro- ided by an unusual barn, recently built by the operating company. Every part r the structure, including the stalls, the feed troughs, and a drinking fountain, is made of concrete. The building is venti- lated by pipes on the roof, and iron- A Steam-Heated Stable, Entirely of Concrete, Shelters the Mules Working in a Kentucky Coal Mine barred windows along both sides. In cold weather, the stable is heated by steam pipes, leading from the pumping station, located not far away. LATEST ENGLISH “SCOOTER” HAS THREE WHEELS The popularity of the “scooter” ex- plains the production of the tricycle scooter, England's latest automotive nov- elty. As with the conventional two- wheeled species, steering is effected by the front wheel; the car is unusual, however, in mounting the motor and transmission hetween the two rear wheels. Riding is consequently less acrobatic and a good deal more comfortable. The little one cylinder engine produces 144 hp., cor sumes a gallon of gasoline for every 150) i RIGHT, INTERNATIONAL This “Scooter” Is Easier to Ride Than the Tw Wheeled Variety, So Is More Popular with Womer It Created Evident Interest on This First Appearance in London miles traveled, and gives a touring speed of 12 miles an hour MACHINE PRINTS ALL ITEMS ON CHECK BUT SIGNATURE Most check-writing machines print only the amount; a new machine print everything but the signature is by means of four levers, which contro two type cylinders. ()peratior print One cylinder p1 dates, names, and the amount in words the other supplies the numerals \ltera tion of a check made out with this m chine is practically impossible, as the tv pe macerates the paper fiber in a peculiar way, besides impregnating it with acid proof ink. The machine will print any amount to within one cent of a million. Above is Pictured, from Two Viewpoints, the Machine That Prints Every Item on a Check but the Signature Oue Cylinder Prints Letters; the Other, Numerals

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198 POPULAR MECHANICS GAS-BURNING HEATING DEVICE FOR FIRE-ENGINE BOILERS Pressure must be maintained constant- ly in fire-engine boilers, to keep the ma- chines ready for instant use. Generally, A Fire Engine, Equipped with a Gas-Burning Heat- er, Which Keeps Pressurein the Boiler at All Times this result is obtained with coal-burning heaters, installed in the basement of the hre stations. As these heaters are expen- sive to operate, and inconvenient, the city officials of San Francisco have adopted a device which utilizes gas as fuel, and which is declared to be both economical and labor-saving. The appa- ratus comprises a movable pipe, to which is attached a burner that can be placed in the fire box of an engine, and removed, when an alarm is sounded, in a few sec- onds. An automatic regulator controls the flow of gas. SHIPS TAKE UNUSUAL FREIGHT TO FAR EASTERN LANDS Some strange cargoes have been shipped to oriental countries from America. Not long ago, a vessel sailed from a seaport on the western coast of the United States, loaded with barber poles, which were des- tined for Hongkong, China. These striped signs have become quite popular in the Far East, and many Chinese bar- ber shops employ them as advertisements, though the tools and methods of the trade in that land are still very primitive. Another unusual consignment consisted of the equipment of a brewery, which was dismantled recently at Vancouver, B. C. The machinery was sent to Japan, where it will be assembled and used for man ufacturing beer. HUN MINE STANDS IN ENGLISH STATION AS COLLECTION BOX Removed from the North Sea by Britis mine sweepers, an ugly German mine now stands in a London railway station a collection box for the relief of mi: sweepers’ dependents. A brass plate t the thousands who pass by daily that it is there to receive contributions of book and magazines, or of money. The forme: are slipped through an opening in the top of the mine, the latter through a slot in the side. The strange receptacle pleads a worthy cause, as the hazards of sweep ing mines from the infested waters of the North Sea were little diminished by the signing of the armistice. COPYRIGHT, KADEL 4&4 HERBERT Intended by the Germans fora Destroyer of Allied Life and Property, This North Sea Mine Now Collects Books, Magazines, and oney for the Dependents of British Mine Sweepers — th ee ea ha cr

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ers POPULAR MECHANICS 199 This Interior View Shows How the Electric Truck is Installed. One of the Devices, Carrying a Motor Car, Is Visible at the Left in the Picture Time and Labor are | Savedin Garages Equipped with This Device for Moving Automobiles. The Location of the Trolley, Motor, and | Controller, as Well as That of the Over- head Wires, can be Seen Here ELECTRIC TRUCK MOVES CARS PICTURES ADVERTISE STOCKS IN MODERN GARAGE OF RUSSIAN STORES lo place automobiles in their proper Illiteracy is so general in Russia that rage positions, an eastern garage em- as a consequence, goods are advertised vs a novel electric truck, which does by means of pictures, which provide a iy with the tedious maneuvering or- language that can be understood even by irily necessary to accomplish this re- the most ignorant. In the poorer sec It. The device is a platform, & ft. wide tions of the larger cities, such bids for nd 15 ft. long, mounted on four flanged trade are common sights. A store in heels, and equipped with a 7'%-hp. \rchangel that sells kitchenware, tool ‘tor. Current for the latter is obtained from overhead wires through a trolley. racks are placed in a depression which tends the length of the building. By this arrangement, the platform and the floor at either side of the trackway are brought to the same level. A car ts driven onto the truck, moved to the location re- served for it, and then run into its space. CANADA TO HAVE ITS OWN LINCOLN HIGHWAY Encouraged by the success of our Lin- coln Highway Association in binding East ind West by a great national pike, the public-spirited Canadians are agitating for a similar project in Canada. Present . plans call for the organization of an as- Hardware Store in Archangel, Russia: The Pictures — accel da re - Inform Illiterate Persons That Kitchenware, sociation pledged to construct a transcon- Tools, and Farming Implements are Sold Inside tinental road from Halifax to Vancouver. \lready committees have been formed in and farming implements has crude pic Toronto and Ottawa. and branches are torial representations of these articles erowing in other provinces. painted on the front of the building

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200 POPULAR MECHANICS MAN ASSEMBLES SKELETONS FOR THIRD OF CENTURY There is a man employed by a medical college of the Middle West, who for the DOG CARRIES LINE TO SHORE FROM SHIPWRECKED VESSEL Ninety-two lives were saved by an in- telligent dog which swam ashore from a shipwrecked steamer on the coast of New- foundland recently, car- rying a life line through breakers that would have destroyed a _ boat or killed a human swimmer An attempt had _ been made to shoot a _ small rope across the rough water, but this failed when the line caught on a rock, and fell short of the target. Officers of the stranded vessel then put the canine overboard \iter a desperate strug- gle, the animal succeeded in releasing the rope, and with the end of this From the School’s Dissecting Room, the Cadavers Go to the Pickling grasped firmly between Vats, Where They are Stripped of Flesh. The Jumbled Load of Bones Then Goes to This Workman, Who Assembles Them last 30 years has been sorting human bones, and assembling skeletons. The as sembling job, alone, is a difficult one, as every big and little bone must be bored and wired to its proper neighbors. But that performance is only the end of this man’s task: for the bones come to him from the pickling vats, in which the flesh remnants are removed, quite loose and mixed, often in lots of three and four skeletons. With his 30 years’ experience, however, the artisan finds it easy to re- store the bones to their original combi- nations. He markets the larger part of his handiwork with art and medical schools, although he often sells to indi- ‘iduals interested in anatomy. its teeth, finally reached the beach. It was the: casy for the crew, assisted by fishermen o shore, to improvise a device for rescuing themselves and the passengers on board from their perilous position. VETERINARIANS USE TRACTOR IN ANIMAL THERAPEUTICS An epidemic of mange, which attacked a large herd of cattle on a ranch in western Canada last summer, spread so rapidly that heroic treatment became _ neces sary. With the aid of government vet- erinarians, a timber cage, 10 by 10 by 3 ft.. was erected over a vat full of sulphur and lime solution, kept at a temperature of 110° F. On top of the cage a hoist was Treating Cattle for Mange with the Aid of a Tractor: The Cattle are Led to a Vat beneath the Cage at the Right, and Dipped in the Curative Solution by a Hoist on Top, Operated by the Tractor’s Power Pulley §

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POPULAR MECHANICS 201 installed, driven by belt from the power pulley of a large tractor. With this equip- ment the afflicted cattle were dipped in the vat and hoisted out again at the rate of 200 an hour. AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPH PLAYS ONE RECORD AFTER ANOTHER lersons who wish the phonograph would just keep on playing can have their ish now, with the aid of a machine de- ed by an Illinois inventor. The several sk records to be played are supported one above the other by sets of rollers, three of which hold the edge of each disk, ving space enough between them for e insertion of arms, carrying needles vhich engage both upper and lower faces of the records. The outer ends of these rms transfer the vibrations to the single producer. The operation is automatic- lly shifted from the end of one selection SIPHON CONTROLS INGENIOUS FOG FILTER AND RECORDER English meteorologists are now analyz- ing the famous fogs of London with an Lutomatic atmospheric filter of remarkable in- genuitvy. The instrument consists, in the main, of in air-tight cylindrical vessel, in which water is made to rise and fall be- tween two fixed levels by means of a simple siphon action. The top of the vessel is pierced by a sin- gle air inlet, %& in. in diameter, past which moves the circumference of a white blotting-paper disk. This disk is divided into 24 hour periods, and is revolved by a weight and string which cause it to follow a clock, except when clamped to the in- let to receive a record. PYRIGHT USTRATE to the beginning of the next. The phono- graph needs no attention after it is DISH*CARRYING ROLL v DISK=CARRYING ROLLERS LOWER ARMS The Arrangement of the Record Disks in the Aut matic Phonograph, with Needle Bars between Them started, and when the end of the last re ord is reached, it stops of its own accord. @ America’s first aerial coast patrol was imaugurated a few days ago when two army planes flew from New York to Vir- ginia and back, reporting at the finish o1 all shipping observed. ing period, a vertical valve rod is pro- vided, to the middle of which is secured an inverted cup. This cup retains wate during the siphoning, and so keeps the valve rod depressed against the upward nN NEW A record is made each By Means of an Automatic Fog Filter, Shown Above in Two Forms, London's time the water level is lowered by the siphon, as this action sucks 122 cu. in. of air through the blotting paper, and thus reg- isters the filtered impurity of the air as a gray or black dot, ¥% in. in diameter. \s the water inlet at the bottom of the vessel must be closed during this siphon- Weather Men Get Hourly Records of the Atmosphere’s Impurity. Below, Is the Scale by Which the Disk Records are Graded pull of a weight arm, until the outside water level falls to the cup rim. At this instant, the water breaks from the cup the siphoning stops: water is again ad- mitted, and the disk, unclamped, overtakes the clock.

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HOG CARCASSES DEHAIRED BY ROTATING MASSAGE Conducted through an _ ultra-modern hog-slaughtering plant, visitors are always Picked from the Scalding Tub on the Other Side of This Machine, the Hog is Subjected to the Powerful Massage of and Toenails Many Rotary Disks Which Remove the Hair fascinated by a small machine that picks a carcass from the scalding tub, and in 18 seconds drops it on an inspection table with every hair and toenail r moved. This result is obtained by the use of 16 rotary disks which rub against the tumbling carcass at high speed. Un- der the influence of this powerful mas- sage, every hair comes out by the roots; leaving the skin as white as milk. Every part of the body receives attention also, even the nose and ears being cleaned and polished. With its 7!5-hp. electric motor, the machine requires a floor space of only 7 by 4% ft., this economy in part by a double use of the steel “apron.” This mechanism not only rolls the hog during the cleaning, but functions as a moving table conveyor, ejecting the animal at the end of the operation. being caused @ Grand Pré, the “little Acadian village” where Longtellow’s “Evangeline” suf- fered in 1755, and whose present desola- tion was described in the December, 1919, issue of this magazine. is to be re- stored and preserved as a Canadian na- tional park. An organization of French Aeadians from Nova Scotia, New Bruns- wick, and Prince Edward’s Island, has been formed for that purpose. POPULAR MECHANICS COMBINE WOOD AND ASPHALT IN BRIDGE FLOORS Municipal engineers have equipped two bridges in with novel asphalt and floors, which are declared to be more satisfac- tory, in some respects, than those made entirely of lumber. Both floors have foundations made from 2 by 4-in. and 2 by 6-in. planks, placed on edge alternate- ly, and nailed together to form a corrugated surface. This as- sembly is bolted to the bridge stringers. In one case, a mixture of asphalt, sand, and emery was vascule Chicago W ood used to fill the grooves between the wider pieces. While this floor provides an excellent trac tion surface, a six-month test dis- closed the fact that the exposed edges of the 6-in. planks wear too rapidly. For this reason, the other floor, constructed at a later date, was covered with sheet as- phalt, with a thickness of 145 in. over the 6-in. planks. Granite chips were rolled into this sur face. After three months’ service, this floor was in good condition. experts are of the opinion that it will re- ' quire frequent sprinklings in hot weather Some FACTORY PLANTS GOVERNED LIKE SMALL REPUBLICS \mong a variety of more or less the- oretical plans for giving the employes of a corporation a share in its management er its profits, or both, one peculiar system stands out with a record of satisfaction in some 50 large manufacturing plants The arrangement strongly resembles th: governmental form of a republic. The company officials constitute the “cabinet,” of which the president is head. The “senate” is composed of foremen and re sponsible department heads, who elect their own leader and committees, and th “house” is made up of representatives the emploves select among themselves, num bering about one to every 20. The practi cal cooperation resulting from the weekly meetings of these bodies has in all in- stances effected marked reductions in op- erating costs. Of these savings, 50 per cent goes to the employes in the form of biweekly dividends. The educational fea- ture of the system has banished practical ly all labor problems.

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se TRPQtsresew meeee 5 : saeal : thi ‘-* 4," q Vast Quantities of Wheat, Destined for Europe, were Handled during the War by This Great State-Owned Elevator, Which is Located at New Orleans NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC ELEVATOR By ROBERT H. MOULTON S| )MIE interesting facts “ concerning the grain hip ved to the allies dur- ing the war by the Wheat Export Corpora- tion, acting for the gov- ernment, have just been made public. These show that of all the ports in this country which were used for this pur- pose, New Orleans made the banner record, a total of 1,861,000 tons of grain having been shipped from that port. The @ greatest single achieve- — = —_— - ment credited to the port View of the Distributing, Ploor, Showing the Belts That Convey Grain to i. was the shipping out of 27 full cargoes of grain, ranging from 210,00 to 575,000 bu.. with less than 20 hours for clear ing each vessel. The public grain eleva- tor of New Orleans was the greatest contributing factor to the quick turn around of these vessels This elevator has a stor age capacity of 2,622,000 bu., an unloading capac itv from cars of 200,000 bu.. and from river barges of 60,000 bu. per day, with a delivery ca- a pacity to vessels of 100,- Sacking Wheat on the Deck of a Vessel: The End of a Loading Spout 000 bu. an hour. It is Is Visible near the Top of the Illustration. Because of the ° ; ° . Scarcity of Men Laborers, Some Women were Employed equipped with four ship- 203

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204 POPULAR MECHANICS ping legs and two receiving legs, each having a capacity of 25,000 bu., and one into hoppers at the top of the tower, from which it is dropped to one of the fou: shipping belts that run along the incline gallery into the elevator. Her: it is shot up to the top floor, through the gar ners into the hoppe: scales, and is then taken over the belts, as de scribed, into the bins. The elevator, which is owned by the State of Louisiana and operated by the Board of Commis sioners of the Port of New Orleans, is of steel and reinforced concrete, and is operated entirely by electricity. It is said to be very clean, its ef ficient dust - collection system reducing to a This Picture was Taken on Board a Ship That had Just Received a Cargo minimum the danger of from the Enormous Bins utility leg with a capacity f 10,000 bu. per hour. [xtreme simplicity and remarkable flexibility of the system of grain dis- tribution throughout the elevator are its. chief features. The equipment of the distributing floor in- ‘ludes five elevated belts, each of which is fur- nished with a trigger, making it possible to trip grain to the difterent spouts. Underneath this Hoor is the bin floor, ‘quipped with movable spouts which swing on explosions, and consti trolleys overhead The ooking into a Grain-Filled Hold: The Curved Pipe Seen in the Back- nozzles of the spouts are inserted in openings in the floor leading to the bins. When a bin is full, the work- man lifts the spout by means of a handle near its bottom, rolls it around with a pair of iron rollers, and shifts its nozzle to another bin, there being over 300 bins in the plant, with capacities ranging from 3.000 to 30,000 bushels. The bin floor is 85 ft. high, and the in- cline gallery, leading from the marine tower to the plant. is equipped with four belts. each able to convey 25,000 bu. an hour. For the purpose of receiving grain delivered in barges, the marine tower has a pneumatic tube which sucks the grain ground Is the Pneumatic Conveyor tuting a most important feature of the big plant. CARRY LOAD OF FREIGHT CAR ON TRUCK AND TRAILER As a freight carrier, the motor truck is often superior to railroads. In sup- port of this claim can be cited the case of an Ohio automobile manufacturer who recently transported 21 touring-car bod- ies, having a combined weight of 10,500 lb.. to his plant from an Indiana City, 100 miles away, with a trailer-equipped truck Twenty hours were required for the trip, PY) se te = eal + all et hr Ae aR

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POPULAR MECHAN P05 ICS

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is time including that spent in loading | unloading. Shipped by rail, the bodies ould have filled a box car, and taken out a week in transit. FORTY-MILE TUNNEL MAY GIVE BALTIMORE ITS WATER Charging that present plans for increas- ng the water supply of Baltimore are holly inadequate, an engineer of that ity now proposes drawing the new sup- ly from the Susquehanna River, through 1 tunnel 40 miles long. Some 10 miles the course already has a 12-ft. tunnel, rough which the present supply is rrought from Loch Raven, on the Gun- owder River. This bore would be dupli- ited, and the 30-mile extension planned uld open into the Susquehanna just the dam at McCall’s Ferry, Pa. A tunnel, 11 ft. 6 in. in diameter, through solid rock would need no lining, and vould utilize gravity flow. Electric power from McCall's Ferry might eco- nomically be used for the excavating vork, the total cost of the project being placed at approximately $8,000,000. Balti- more thus would be assured, including its present supply, a total of 200,000,000 gal. of water a day, an amount years of growth.

ypove | nd adequate for many € Recent experiments rubber-seed oil are declared to have shown the material to be a satisfactory substitute for linseed oil in the manufac- ture of paints, varnishes, linoleum, soap, , and other articles. It is asserted that the seed can be fed to cattle and other live stock after the oil is removed. conducted with Loaded with 21 Touring-Car Bodies, Weighing 10,500 Pounds, This Truck and Trailer Traveled 100 Miles, and Delivered the Shipment in Less Than 20 Hours to an Ohio Automobile Factory ELECTRIC BROILER DESIGNED FOR LUNCH-ROOM USE Quick-service restaurants are provided with an efficient mechanical assistant for the preparation of hot sandwiches, and other food, by a new electric broiler, ac cording to the claim of the manufacturers of the utility. Heat-producing coils ex tend across two vertical frames, which are placed in a hooded sheet-metal case, open on one Two double grills, for hold ing meat, are pivoted near the bottom of the coil frames, and can be swung near the latter, or withdrawn, by means of levers at either end of the case. Current is switched on by the first operation, and turned off by the second. side.

Broiler is Intended for Use in This Novel Electric staurants Where Food must be Prepared in the Shortest Possible Time

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206 UNLOADING DEVICE REMOVES MATERIAL BY SUCTION Operating in the vacuum same cleaner, a new manner as a unloader suction Removing Soda Ash from a Freight Car with a Suction Unloader: No Irritating Dust is Raised by This Method, Which Transters Material Very Rapidly removes the contents of freight cars or vessels with great speed. The essential parts of the device are a tank, in which a partial vacuum is maintained, and a flexible hose. Pulverized or granular ma- terial is drawn through the latter. and deposited in the tank. Grain, coke, soda ash, and other products, can be handled by the contrivance, which is made in sev- eral different sizes, some capable of trans- ferring 150 tons an hour. attend the Only one man is necessary to unloader. Alt Youn CHRisTaes v Litres 4 SANTA DBI Ts An Up-To-Date Santa Claus Lives and Travels in the Motor Truck Pictured on the Left. a Toy Factory. POPULAR MECHANICS HUGE METALLIC MIRROR USED IN NEW FRENCH LIGHTHOUSE On the little island of Galita. in the Mediterranean Sea off the north coast of Tunis, the French government has late ly erected a lighthouse embodying sev- eral departures from conventional design he optical apparatus is most noteworthy as it is made entirely of metal. The great parabolic reflector is composed of four sections, each of which is built of a special bronze, gilded and highly polished. The diameter of the big mirror is 7 ft. 5 in... with a focal length of 26 in., making thi the largest metallic reflector used in any lighthouse in the world. The flash is of 202,000 cp., and during most of the year can be miles. > seen at sea for a distance of 30 SANTA CLAUS RIDES IN TRUCK EQUIPPED AS HOME Traveling across the continent in motor truck, which has been transformed into a mobile home by the addition of a special body, a modern Santa Claus not only brings joy to children in the citie he visits, but earns his living by advertis ing the products of a toy factory. In this case the mythical character is an invalid who was compelled by ill health to see! outdoor employment. He is accompani by his wife. who acts as Mrs. Santa Claus juvenile letters to the saint can be posted in a mail box on the machine, appropriately decorated with sleigh bells, and flags. which i wreaths With the Addition of a Special Body, the Vehicle has been Transformed into a House, in Which He Carries the Products of The Saint Himself can be Seen on the Right, Leaning Out of a Window in His Mobile Home

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POPULAR MECHANICS 207 PELTS INCREASED IN VALUE BY COLDER CLIMATE Nature provides fur-bearing animals with coats which vary in weight to suit the climate of different localities, being heavy in cold regions, and lighter where higher tempera- tures are the rule. Tak- ing advantage of this fact, a western trapper transports live catches made in the lowlands to the mountains, where the yeather is more severe, id holds them in captiv- . for some time before disposing of their pelts, vhich are greatly in- creased in value by this means. As an experi- ment, 10 raccoons, it near the coast, were taken to a ranch, located 9000 ft. above sea level, and kept for six weeks, during which 1 time they were carefully . mOERWOOD 4

RAINPROOF TOPS COVER UPPER DECKS OF NEW YORK BUSSES Formerly, when rain fell on New York City, the tops of the famous Fifth Avenue INDE RWOOL fed. The animals were The Addition of Folding Tops to the Busses on the Streets of New York then killed and skinned. Because of the improvement in quality the hides were sold for three times the amount they would have brought in their original condition. EUROPEAN POULTRY DECIMATED DURING WORLD WAR Egg production is at a very low ebb in Europe as a result of the war. <Ac- cording to one expert, there are now 180,000,000 fewer hens on the continent than there were in 1913. Belgium's poul- try population suffered most, being re- duced to 20 per cent of its pre-war size. Holland lost 75 per cent of its chickens, while France and Denmark are each minus 50 per cent. Great Britain was more fortunate, losing only about 10 per cent of its fowls, which leaves approxi- mately 19,500,000 survivors. Before the war, Britain depended to a great extent on Russia, Germany, and Austria-Hun- gary for its supply of poultry and eggs. € California will have a permanent and continuous exposition of its products and resources at Sacramento, if a vigorous movement just started in that city ma- terializes. City Enables Them to Carry Capacity Loads in Fair Weather or Foul busses were swept bare of passengers, while operators suffered a consequent los of revenue The busses carry capacity} loads in all weather now, however, as folding rainproof tops have heen added. ike the total height with this new equipment less than the clearance of the elevated railroad at certain points Care had to be taken to m DRINKING FOUNTAIN COMBINED WITH WATER FAUCET Two purposes are served by a new plumbing fixture. though the device dif fers little in appearance from an ordi nary water faucet. —— Turning the handle to the right or left causes water to flow from the regular outlet, while a downward pres- sure puts into op- eration a drinking fountain, located on top of the tap. The latter movement is facilitated by a pro- jection, designed to be gripped with the fingers. while the thumb is used to de- press the handle.

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208 POPULAR MECHANICS CURIOUS GEAR ARRANGEMENT IN NEW LIFTING JACK An uncommon form of gearing is used to give power, smooth action, and selft- The Complete Jack is Seen at the Left. In_the Right-Hand View the Open Casing Reveals the Peculiar Form of Gearing locking quality to a new lifting jack. rhe lifting bar has a rack cut on opposite sides, engaging two pinions. On each pinion shaft is a toothed wheel. Inserted edgewise between these wheels from be- low is a disk with both faces conical, a spiral worm being cut in each face. The spirals engage the teeth of the wheels, which turn in opposite directions when the shaft of the worm disk is turned, ad- vancing one tooth for each revolution of the shaft. One advantage over the regu- lar worm gear is the absence of end thrust. NOT WALKER’S PIPE LINE Although no names were mentioned in our recent story of a sub-river pipe line connecting a Canadian distillery with the American side, Hiram Walker & Sons, Limited, Walkerville, Ont., feel we shouid assure our readers that their company was not the one referred to. This we gladly do, as the high standing of the Walker concern for more than half a cen- tury makes such a suspicion unthinkable. @ Wishing to avoid dishonor to the uni- form, the warden of the Ohio peniten- tiary has decreed that ex-service men un- der sentence must doff their soldier or sailor clothes before passing through the prison gates. HEXAGONAL TEMPLE TO HOUSE NEW YORK COUNTY COURTS Plans for the monumental, circular Temple of Justice, that was to have been built in New York City at a cost of $21,000,000, have been aban- doned. Instead, plans now call for a hexagonal structure which will be just as capacious, but will cost only a third as much. The entire exterior, including the Gre cian portico of the west face, will be of granite. Behind this por- tico will be ranged the library stacks, record rooms, minor of- fices, and so on, leaving the five other sides, with their better illu mination, for the rooms of th city and county courts. Thes¢ are to be built about the central rotunda, and in isolated, doubk units. Each unit will be com plete in itself, consisting of two courtrooms, with all necessary consultation rooms, jury rooms robing rooms, and toilets. Busi ness in each court will thus pro ceed undisturbed by happenings in ad- jacent units. BRIDGE OVER NIAGARA RIVER STRENGTHENED BY REPAIRS Heavy modern railroad trains can now pass in perfect safety over the great steel bridge that spans the Niagara River neat the famous falls of the same name. This has been made possible by reinforcement and readjustment of the structure, which was built 22 years ago, when rolling stock was much lighter than it is today. Antici pating still further increases in th weight of locomotives and cars, the engi- neers in charge of the work placed the bridge in condition to bear the traffic expected in 1940, basing their calculations on statistics compiled during the last 70 years. One of the most important opera- tions was the construction of a new floor under the tracks. This included the in stallation of a novel drip pan underneath the ties, and the addition of metal to the brackets which partly support the floor beams. Light-rod braces were replaced by rigid material, which reduced side sway to a remarkable extent. Steel joists were substituted for the old timbers under the highway floor, located under the tracks, rendering it capable of sustaining a 15-ton motor truck. '

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POPULAR MECHANICS 209

The Big Lantern Withdrawn from Its Booth, Giving a Good Idea of Its Great Size tle — PICTURE SCREEN AND LANTERN BREAK ALL SIZE RECORDS Screen pictures of heroic size are ex- bited in an extraordinary outdoor the- ter which has been installed at an Ohio ce track. The heavily braced screen easures 132 by 165 ft. over all, the pro- jection surface being 100 by 75 ft., and visible to an audience of 110,000. The throw” from lantern to screen is 315 ft. Because of the heat from the great arcs, the lamp houses of the twin stereopticons ire of enormous size, with motor-driven owers for cooling the condenser lenses ind exhausting the overheated air. Slides 5 by 7 in., instead of the standard 3% y 4, are used, and may be shown for a full minute without heating, while 24-in. sanoramic slides are fed through the gate 1) seconds by a motor. Five to seven en are needed to operate the lanterns

| | | } | | | wey <. a3 i

The Face of the Huge | Screen is Seen at the Left, While the View Above Shows Its Braces Close-Up View of the Double Lantern in Its Booth, Showing the Ventilating Pipes, the Blower Below, and the Arc-Shaped Dissolving Shutter and cooling arrangement. An interesting experiment was the exhibition of clear motion pictures on the giant screen with a standard-size machine, breaking all projection records. GERMANS ADAPT METAL WAR PLANE FOR TRADE USE ‘serman determination to produce a tisfactory all-metal airplane is evi- lenced by the fact that one large com ny concerns itself solely with the con truction of this type of air 7 craft. For fighting use, me it produced

a two-seater monoplane of rather un- usual appearance, characterized chief- ly by an_absence of all wing-bracing wires. And that this type is now being put to commer-

Forming the Fuselage, Wings, and Tail of This Converted German Fighting Machine, Are Sheets of Thin Metal, the Cor- rugations in Which may be Seen in the Photograph

MT. INTERNATIONAL FILM SERVICE

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210 cial use is proved by the photograph. The corrugations in the thin sheet metal forming fuselage, wings, and hull can easily be seen. SKYSCRAPERS BUILT FROM TOP AND BOTTOM SIMULTANEOUSLY With office space at a premium, the sky- scrapers now built in the large cities are The Demand for Speed in the Construction of Metro- politan Skyscrapers is Met by Building Both Up and Down, Thus Finishing the Construction in the Middle usually rushed to completion with all possible speed. A favorite scheme for accelerating construction is illustrated by the accompanying photograph, taken from a New York office building. The roof and top floor of the building in the fore- ground are practically finished. orna mental cornices and roof structures being all in place: while the three floors below offer strange contrast, with their steel girders showing like uncovered bones. RAILROAD MOUNT FOR COAST- DEFENSE GUN IS SUCCESS Recent firing tests, at Cape Henry, Va., of the new railroad mount for the 14-in. gun were so satisfactory that all weapons of this caliber will hereafter be installed on such carriages, as they become avail- able. Firing a 1,660-Ib. projectile, the big gun was directed with remarkable effect POPULAR MECHANICS at a moving naval target, nearly 15 mile from shore. The maximum range, how ever, exceeds this by some three mile and a few improvements in design sug gested by the test will bring the range u; to 40,000 yd. incidentally, the test wa not only the first of this type of mount but was more notable as the first in whic} a 14-in. gun on a railroad carriage h: been fired from a coast-defense statio: CUBA HAS NEW GLASS PLANT USING NATIVE MATERIALS \ native abundance of high-grade ; sand and limestone has inspired the est: lishment of a large plant at Havana, Cu to manufacture table and illuminat glassware and bottles. The 3,000 acre sand controlled by the new organizati first of its kind on the island, contains average of 99.43 per cent of silica. equipment is American. AUTOMOBILE RADIATOR SHIELD REGULATED BY HEAT Controlled by a simple thermostat new cold-weather automobile radiat protector acts automatically, admitting : only after the water in the cooling syste: becomes warm. The device consists 0 steel shell, designed to fit over the core o a radiator, and equipped with horizor shutters, which are connected to the the: mostat, located at the top of the shell, a series of rods and levers. Two spri bronze cells and an aluminum heat c: ductor, which bears on the radiat compose the thermostat. reaches 130 EF. the shutter closed; when that temperature Until the wat: rema is attai: Self-Regulating Radiator Cover: The icture at the Right Discloses the Thermostat. A Front View is Shown Above they begin to open, and are fully « panded at 175 to 180° F. A push butt is provided for closing the shutters, locking them in that position.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 211 A Stone about the Size of a Man's Fist is Said to have Caused the Derailment of This Heavy Suburban Car. Had It been Traveling Faster Than 16 Miles an Hour, It would Probably have Overturned, Inflicting Serious Injury on the Passengers. As It Was, the Car was Caught and Held by a Steel Troiley Pole SMALL STONE DERAILS HEAVY =§eare easily transported and quickly set up ELECTRIC TROLLEY CAR where desired. In order to protect the telephone within, the door lock is so ee = ah Ate Officials of a traction company operat- in and about Cincinnati, Ohio, can plain in only one way the recent de- ilment of a heavy suburban car. They elieve that a stone, jarred from the road- ed by the front truck, fell back on the | in time to derail the rear truck. What- ever the cause, it is certain that the traveled for some distance with the front wheels holding the track, and the ar wheels in the center of the road- lhe rear vestibule at length en- countered a steel trolley pole, which aided the brakes in bringing the car to stop. Luckily it had been traveling at ly 16 miles an hour; at a higher speed would doubtless have overturned, with rious consequences to the passengers. Intended for Outdoor Use along the Rail- road Right of Way, This Concrete Tele- CONCRETE TELEPHONE BOOTHS i phone Booth 3 Made USED BY RAILROADS oA ee coupled to a switch that the electric cir- cuit is open except during use. Concrete telephone booths have recent- y been found well suited for use along the right of way of railroads and electric @In the salt wells of Szechwan Province, 1 ines, Designed as a cylinder, topped by China, of which there are more than a conical roof, the booth is not unsightly, 1,000, from 1,000 to 3,000 ft. deep, over one ind will last indefinitely. Construction is pet cent of potassium salts has been simple, involving the molding of only four found, promising parts—base, body, door, and roof—which of the mineral. a a possible new source

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YOUTH BUILDS AIRPLANE IN CELLAR OF HOME Nearly every American boy has at one time or another “built things” in a cellar workshop; seldom, however, have those POPULAR MECHANICS NEW ZEALANDERS EXPERIMENT WITH CANADIAN GEESE Twenty mated wild geese were shipped irom Canada recently to New Zealand where they will be added to a flock oj SOO of their species, th The Young Builder is Here Coating the Wooden embers of the Fuselage with Varnish to Protect Them against Dampness. With the Exception of the Engine, Every Large Part of His Biplane was Built in the Cellar endeavors resulted in anything so pre- tentious as a full-grown airplane, com- plete with engine and propeller. The young airplane builder, just a few years removed from boyhood, has here fash- ioned and assembled fuselage, wings, struts, and undercarriage. Each of these is intelligently designed, and constructed according to the best aeronautical prac- tice. The nose of the fuselage is being prepared for a inder engine of automobile type. rour-cyi @A large hangar is being built at EI Paso, Texas, for a twin-engined airship which will be used by the army for patrol along the Mexican border. If a 7 the service will be expanded Success, property of a which is bringing to the islands from dif ferent parts of the world with the object of a climating them. Experi society bird ments with wild gees were instituted by ¢ organization severa : years ago, when 12 pair of the birds were im . ported from the Nort! \merican dominio These formed the ni cleus of the present larg flock. It is hoped to in prove the flock with th latest consignme through the introductio of new blood. Natura ists differ as to where th wild hatches its Canadian 1 but the location is generally supposed 1 be somewhere north of the arctic circ The New Zealand experiment has arouse: : the interest of many scientists. goose youns NAVAL BASE GAINS NEW LAND BY MOVING SEASHORE Between 800 and 900 acres of new lan and a harbor 40 to 50 it. deep, have be acquired without purchase by the ne naval operating base on Hampton Road Va. sy a huge engineering operatio the shore line was literally moved out ward, from 14 to 15 mile, on three sic —_ of the base, a dozen or more big suctio dredges transferring mud and sand f1 Naval Base Gains New Land: Left. a Dredge of 36,000 Cubic Yards, Daily Capacity, Largest of Its. Kind; Right, Part of the Mile-Lon is Pumped for System of 28-Inch Pipes through illing in the Great Area of Made Land hich the Sand

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POPULAR MECHANICS 213 the Distance, Far Inland. Che Sea of Mud and Water at the Left will Dry Out and Become New Land, Leaving the Old Seashore, in At the Right Is the Discharge End of the Mile-Long 28-Inch Filling Pipe, Transferring Sand and Gravel from the Harbor Bottom to the Made Land he bottom of the harbor to the made ind. The largest dredge used has a ca- pacity of 36,000 cu. yd. a day. The fill some places was 25 to 30 ft. deep, the iterial being discharged through 28-in. pipes, one of which was over a mile long \n old hotel and buildings of the James- wn exposition, formerly on the beach, have been left far inland. BIG PLANE ENDS SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT AROUND COUNTRY Completing a flight of almost 10,000 liles around the “rim” of the United States, a Martin twin-engined bomber re- SAILOR DIVES FROM END OF BATTLESHIP’S CRANE Time was when the deep-water sailor was rarely a swimmer; but with the war- time enlistment of so many American boys in the U. S. Navy the old tradition finds itself hard hit. On the rolls may now be found the names of many aquatic experts. And it was one of these. of the U. S. S. “Mississippi,” who lately as- tounded his shipmates by diving from the end of a giant crane, 100 ft. above the water. A few minutes later he came over the side, none the worse for his experi- ence, to be received as the hero of the hour by everyone on shipboard. cently rolled into its hangar at \Washington, D. C., whence it had started on July 24. Flying from \Washington to New York, to Au- gusta, Maine; across the northern states to Oregon: down the Cali- fornia coast; then along the Gulf ind back to Washington, the big plane accounted for 9,823 miles in 104% hours’ flying time. In other words, in circumnavigating the country, it spent a little more than four days in the air. Though the bomber had flown 110 hours previous to July 24. it continued to prove as reliable, in its element, as any ocean liner. Only once was it seriously de layed, when in northern New York State a heavy fog and de- fective landing gear brought ibout a crash on landing. There- ifter the long journey was broken & only six times by forced land- ings, and all of these were caused by adverse weather conditions. = The splendid performance, with the pilot’s subsequent report on landing fields and meteorological conditions, means much to the air service. The Sailor in the Oval has Found a New Use for the Ship’s Giant Crane. The Camera has Caught Him, Above, atthe Start of the 100-Foot Drop to the Water Below. Suggests That the Day of the Non-Swim- The Feat ming Tar Is Past

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| AOTISTIC ROOK GARDEN EEATUNES = CITY FACTORY Py Aben P Child Located on Top of a Manufacturing Plant in Cleveland, Ohio, Are a Beautiful Roof Garden, a Conservator: and an Observatory, to Which Employes can Go for Recreation during the Noon Hour, or at the End of the Day HEN a Cleveland, Ohio, manufac- turer of metal products decided to erect a new building to take care of in- creased business, he made up his mind to have the roof serve a somewhat more use- ful purpose than just to cover the struc- ture. So he developed a plan of installing roof garden for the recreation of the factory employes, and provided an extra floor, in order to give adequate clubroom facilities for the social lite of the workers. Located on the fourth floor of the new building, the arious rooms are well laid out. A short corridor from the entrance One of the Most Popular Rooms in the Building Is the Cozy Inglenook, with Its Huge Fireplace with Decorative Panels over It, Tile Walls, and Rough-Hewn Woodwork. The Comfortable Seats are Filled to Capacity throughout the Rest Periods at the head of the stairway leads into lounging room, 60 ft. long by 40 ft. wid \ntique-oak paneling on the walls is r lieved by ornamental plaster ceiling Wicker furniture with tasteful cushio1 invite those who seek rest, while writings and game tables are handy for those wh do not wish to be idle. Provisions at also made in this lounge for motion-p ture entertainments. The library is well stocked with e1 cvclopedias, and many works of fictio historical, travel, and periodical liter: ture. Decorative library tiles are set i the plaster walls, and th« ceiling is embellish vith a plaque of Ne} tune and his horses ri ing the waves. The real center of at traction is the large Knsg lish inglenook with it entrances -from_ thie lounging room, library and bowling alleys. Th: room is finished in 1 and adz-hewn wood work. Over the fireplac a series of tile panels dé picts episodes frora the story of Rip Van Win kle. The women’s rest room is. finished = i antique blue and old rose, with furniture, rugs and hangings in perfect harmony. From the fourth floo1 a stairway leads to the roof. The first place en- Sl Se Marga A rime

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neat ED “G The Attractive Spanish Gar- den Overlooks Lake Erie, Which can be Seen in the Background. Diminutive Fir and Cypress Trees are Planted in the Grass Plots In the Women’ . Rest Room, Blue and Old _— are Com- bined in the Decorations. Handsome Wicker Furniture, Including a Convenient Writ- ing Desk, is Provided nl ar (a A Corner of the Ligency: Bere can be Found Reference Books, Periodi- _| cals, and Many Volumes of Fiction. One of the Bookcases, Set in an Arched Recess, Is Visible in the Picture oo eterna lla AARP mem = Sunlight and Fresh Air Abound in the Spacious Lounging Room, Where Tables and Chairs Are at Hand for Those Who ish to Write, Play Games, or Read. Moving-Picture Entertainments are Sometimes Given in This Room

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216 POPULAR MECHANICS tered is a greenhouse where flowers are grown for use about the offices and club- rooms. The entrance to the Spanish gar- den is through two French windows. Finy cypress and fir trees are planted in geometrically arranged grass plots. Am- ple room for walkers is furnished, and instead of the usual tarred gravel roof of most factory buildings, there is a tiled garden floor. At the extreme end of the garden is an exedra with a wall fountain. Beyond the greenhouse, in a continua- tion of the garden, is an astronomical observatory equipped with a _ powerful telescope, where regular classes of em- ployes gather to study the elements of astronomy. ° STEEP ARTIFICIAL GRADE IS NO OBSTACLE TO TRACTOR Climbing a smooth grade of 45 per cent, which means an angle of nearly 24°, is hard enough for a pedestrian with hob- nailed shoes, and seemingly impossible for a wheeled power vehicle. Both a steam and a gasoline tractor, however, performed the feat at a recent state fair, the grade being built for the occasion, of heavy planks. The machines ascended and descended again, always under full con- trol and apparently with the utmost ease. But the strain of the performance was shown by the fact that the planks of the incline had to be renewed every day. They were chewed to splinters by the bite of the drivewheel lugs, without whose tractional aid the most powerful of en- gines would have been helpless. UNUSUAL ADVERTISEMENT AIDS ANTIACCIDENT CAMPAIGN Carelessness is personified, and caused to blame itself for most of the world’s misery, in an unusual advertisement, is- sued recently by the Retail Trade Board of the Boston Chamber of Commerce, as part of an antiaccident campaign. Th: novel message, which was printed on win dow cards, billboard posters, and in news papers, was worded as follows: WHO COMES HERE? I am more powerful than the combined a ie world I have destroyed more men than ail the of the world. I am more deadly thi bullets, and I have wrecked more home tha guns. l steal n the { nited st tes alone $300,000,000 €a h yeal I spare no one, and | 1 my victin a the rich and poor alike; the young and old; strong and weak; widows and orphans know f loom up to such proportions that I cast shadow over every field of labor from the tu f the grindstone to the moving of every rai road train I massacre thousands uy thousand rf arners in a year I turk in unseen places ind do vork silent You are warned against e, b you heed nm. I am_ relentless I am home, on the streets, in the fi rossings, and on the sea I bring sickness, degrada! few seek to avoid me. deadliest of siewe soo I destroy, maim, take | i nothing. I am your worst enemy I am Carelessness! GOLD OBTAINED FROM RUBBISH NEAR OLD STAMP MILLS Unusual salvaging operations are progress at two South African stam mills, which were abandoned after being employed for years t: extract gold from ore obtained in near-by mines. Rubbish heap in the vicinity of the plants being systematically searched for the precious metal, and a larg quantity has been recovered in short time. A very simple method is used to accomplish this re ult. Waste matter is collected and run through sluices, whic! separate the coarse material from the fine. The latter is then mixed with inflammable waste and burned. Further sluicing of th: resultant product removes the gold. One of the mills wa: started in 1897, and crushed 4, 700,000 tons of ore before it was stopped. Nearly 3,000 oz. of pur: ad —_ - : - : , ere ae Steam Tractor Climbing a 45-Per-Cent Grade of Smooth Planks gold, worth approximately sale under Perfect Control, as a Demonstration of Its Power 000, have thus been obtained + dent wipe li | .

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POPULAR MECHANICS 217 FLAMING OIL TANK ROLLS THROUGH KANSAS TOWN impelled by some malign, mys- terious force, the 16,000-lb. gaso- line tank which recently exploded at Hays, Kan., shot, not vertical- ly but horizontally, through the air. In its flat fight of some hun- dreds of feet, the flame-belching cylinder rose no more than three or four feet from the ground. Every foot of its path was con- sequently marked by ruin. It de- molished and fired tw barns: napped two telegraph poles and an eight-inch tree like tooth- picks; then, touching earth, fell on its side. Rolling on, the flam- mg juggernaut mangled and killed four spectators, supposed- ly at a safe distance from the con- Hagration; broke otf three heavy stone posts; leaped a ditch, and finally pushed a house off its foundations and fired it. This de- truction was wrought almost 00 ft. from the origin of the dis- ister, Above Lies the Gasoline Tank, at End of Its Destructive Journey. To Its Left Are the Smoldering Ruins of the House It Last Encountered The Crosses at the Left Show Where Three of the Four Bodie: were Found. These Persons had been Standing on the Side walk, 20 Feet Away and Supposedly at a Safe Distance from the Blaze; Yet They were Caught and Mangled by the Huge Projectile FAST DESTROYER COMPLETED IN BRIEF PERIOD Record-breaking speed was made in building the destroyer “Reid.” delivered to the Navy De- —- partment recently at an eastern shipyard, followmg its completion in 45% working days. Not only is the vessel notable because of the short time consumed in its construction, but it remarkable in other re pects. While it has a displacement of only 1,200 tons, the ? hich was) ship is equipped with 27,500-hp. steam a —— turbines, which are power- ful enough to drive the largest battleship afloat | hese propel the boat at a ' rate in excess of 40 miles an | hour. Water-tube _ boilers | ind twin screws, the lattes 1 making 450 revolutions a minute, are other features | if the cratt The Destroyer “Reid.’”’ Which was Completed Recently in the Remarkably Short Time of 4534 Working Days, Traveling at Full Speed: Steam Tur nes, Capable of Developing 27,500 Horsepower, Drive the Vessel

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POPULAR EXPRESS REFRIGERATOR CAR SHOWN IN MODEL FORM Those who delight in well-made modéls would take keen pleasure in examining the miniature replica of a new express re- Six-Foot Model of Express Refrigerator Car: It Differs from a Real Car Only in Its Size and Its Hinged Roof, Here Open for Inspection of the Interior Arrangement frigerator car now being displaved about the country. The little car, six feet in length, is complete even to a section of track, and accurate down to the special lock on the doors. The top of the model, however, is hinged at one side to form a lid, so the interior can be examined. The details of ice bunkers, slatted false floor- ing, ventilators, and roof and end fittings are complete. The full-size car is in tended for the moving of early perish- able crops via passenger train. For this reason, the outside is finished in a manner wholly different from the standard freight- car exterior, to harmomze-with the coach work.of its high-grade associates. MECHANICS LATIN TAUGHT IN BRITAIN’S AIR-SERVICE SCHOOL That youngsters make the best flying officers is evidently the continued belief of Britain’s air ministry. For in estab- lishing the Royal Air Force Cadet Col- lege, near London, the ministry has ruled that candidates for admission must be between the ages of 17 years 6 months and 19 years. Exceptson is made only in the case of certain men from the army, who will be iccepted up to 21 vears It is noteworthy, too, that the curriculum of this aviation “West Point” includes many classical and cultural subjects. Thus, op- tional courses include Latin, Greek, ad- vanced mathematics, modern languages, science, and elementary’ engineering. Otherwise, the first two years of training will give the young cadet the widest ex- perience in the classroom, the workshop, the drill and athletic fields, the machine gun pits, and in the air itself. WASHABLE AUTO-SEAT COVERS QUICKLY BUTTONED IN PLACE To cover the cushions of the pleasure car, and so protect the garments of the motorist, there are now made slips of washable fabric that can be buttoned in place in two or three minutes. The work of placing the tack buttons for the -first set of covers consumes about 20 minutes: thereafter the same buttons are used when slips are changed. A motorist using these slips usually finds it convenient, when parking his car, to button back the cover of the seat cushion proper. Re- turning to his car, he spreads the cover over the seat again, finding it unsoiled by blowing dust and soot. COPYRIGHT, GORDON Held in Place by Tack Buttons, These Washable Seat Covers are Easily Removed. As the Fabric may be Had in Many Colors, the Autoist Is Able to Harmo- nize Covers and Car Finish

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POPULAR MECHANICS ~- suspension Of Heavy Machine Drills from an Overhead I-Beam, in Position for Work, is Made Plain in the Left Vie Travel to Any Part of the At the Right, Two of the Machines are Seen Drilling Heavy Boiler Plate HEAVY MACHINE DRILLS MOVE LIKE TRAVELING CRANE \VWhen work to be handled in a shop is heavier than the tools required, it is of obvious advantage to make the tools port- able In a western plant where boiler plate is drilled, the heavy electric drills have been fitted with carriages at the top, which permit them to roll on the flanges of an I-beam overhead. The ends of the I-beam, in turn, are fixed to supports which travel on track rails on the floor As many as four drills may be hung from the beam and used simultaneously with out interfering with each other. Three thicknesses of W*%e-in. boiler plate re drilled together, nm an eight minutes per hole. average time ol PANAMA CANAL LOCKS CAUSE PECULIAR WATER SURGES Pedro Miguel lock, in the Panama Canal, has, a capacity of about 3,800,000 cu. ft. of water, and it is filled in a mini- mum of 715 minutes. This sudden, large movement drops the canal surface about 1% ft. at the lock, and sets up a current of about one foot a second. When the lock valves are closed, a surge results, vhose wave form may be as high as three feet from trough to crest. The surge wave travels back along the canal, and is till measurable 14 miles away, as well as over seven miles up the Chagres River he trough phase of the surge follows about 45 minutes behind the crest, and the effect is perceptible at Gamboa, eight miles up the cut, 18 or 19 minutes after the lock valves are operated. The wave returns in reduced amplitude, and finally lies out. ROUND SHOULDERS PREVENTED BY NEW DESK AND CHAIR \ new combination school chair desk is designed to prevent ro shoulders and other deformities in growing children by making correct sitting postures easy to Combined School Desk and Chair Children are Encour- aged by This Equipment to Sit Erect assume. The back of the chair cont: two crossbars, so placed that an erect position is comfortable, and a sloucl one the reverse It is possible to’ adju the desk. which is fastened on the rig! front lege of the chair. as to height clination, or distance from the back. article can be fitted with a special | and other attachments. which allow i be converted int: reclining chats @The zoo at Tokyo, Japan, is soon to acquire one of the relatively few hippo potami in captivitv. The river horse the gift of a Japanese prince now resident in Seoul, Chosen.

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spe 220 CLOCK STARTS PHONOGRAPH AS MORNING ALARM The daily torture of the toiler’s aural nerve by a strident alarm clock can be avoided in several ways. He may sleep

Instead of Ringing a Bell at the Rising Hour, This Clock Pulls In the Stud, Seen at the Right, Thus Allowing the Record Disk to Revolve. Pressure on the Button, at the Left, Arrests the Disk all morning, or he may buy a gentle awakener now on the market. This little alarm clock rings no bell at the rising hour; instead, it retracts a horizontally projecting stud from the rear of the clock case. By placing this projection against a phonograph disk and releasing the disk starter the night before, this retraction allows the disk to revolve, and the record to be played.

POPULAR MECHANICS REMODELED MAIL PLANES GAIN IN CAPACITY AND SPEED \ remodeled DH-4 mail airplane re- cently carried 30,000 letters, weighing 630 lb., from Washington to New York City at 138 miles an hour. This betters the best performance of the standard plane by 300 Ib. and some 15 miles. And this remarkable gain in capacity speed the post-othce authorities their prediction that they will soon be able to salvage DH-4’s and Liberty en gines, now in storage, to the value of several hundred thousand dollars. The remodeling process shows promising free on and base dom from complication and expense. An extra span is set into each wing; while the 12-cylinder engine is removed from the nose of the fuselage and split into two engines of six cylinders each. Thes: are secured to the lower wings, on either side of the fuselage, thus adding to cargo space, and reducing fire hazard by inating proximity of tanks. elim engines and= fuel NEED FIVE MONTHS EACH YEAR TO PAINT BIG BRIDGE Painting a big steel bridge is never a trifling task, but down near the Gulf ot Mexico, where the salt, moist air quickly destroys the paint, the job becomes nearly a continuous performance. <A_ 2,200-ft railroad bridge of nine spans, crossing the Atchafalaya River, is painted every 12 to 16 months, and it takes a crew of 12 men about five months to complete the job. Their labor, with the thousands of gallons of red-lead and carbon-black paint used, runs the total expense of the yearly undertaking up to nearly ten thou sand dollars.

Seven of the Big Bridge’s Nine Spans: Are Visible Here, and It will be Appreciated That Painting It Is Quite a Job. Above, the Painters are Seen Startin Task That must be Repeated Each Their Five Months’ ear

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TOWERLIKE GARAGE CONTAINS SPIRAL DRIVEWAYS lo provide parking space for automo- yiles m the congested business districts oi biz cities, a Michigan arch- stect has planned a nov- el garage, which will ac- commodate a large number of cars, but oc- eupy only a small site. The proposed building re- sembles a cir- cular tower, 160 ft. in diam- eter and 200 ft. high. It is de- signed to shel- ter 800 ma- chines. Two are pro- one to an en- trance, and the other as an exit. The for- mer gives ac- eess to a spiral ilriveway, lead- mg to the top doors vided, serve as of the structure. driveway are numbered stalls, in which stored. driveway, center. of the building, scends to the exit, and is used by cars leaving the Elevators employed to carry pa- trons to stalls at dif- cars are to be spiral garage. ferent levels. @ A continuous belt 10 miles made of some 130,000 an- nuals, is the newest city of of flowers, long and addition the POPULAR MECHANICS 221 ALLOYS TO BE MADE SUBJECT OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH A sustained scientific effort is about to be made to penetrate the mystery of al- loys, those ap- parently law 4 less combina tions of metals whose product often differs so ance, a new co- operative asso ciation is being organized, rep- resenting man ufacturers and users of alloys The organiza- «eee radically in its gees properties eer from any of its etree constitu- Lea f : ents. With # . 4 . govern mee 2 8 mental assist- "@eet ‘gt e @#eee e tion will em ploy scientists and _ technical experts, who will devote all — their attention to thorough re- search into the subject. All members oft the association will benefit by the results of the work, and it is expected that tech- nical discoveries of great value will be evolved ‘from the con- centration of trained minds upon investiga- tions hitherto pursued only by _ individual W orkers. View of the Proposed Circular Garage: Portions of the Walls are Cut Away to Show the Spiral Driveways, the Storage Stalls, and One of the Passenger-Elevator Shafts. Arrows Indicate How Automobiles Enter and Leave the Structure Along both sides of this \nother the de- nearer 18 STALLS are PER FLOOR CANAL MAY CONNECT MIS- SISSIPPI AND RIO GRANDE \ up inland vater length va vhose will be many hundreds New Orleans is mak- agit ing to its collection of of miles, with a width of beauties. Roses varying 100 ft. and a depth of 9 from white to deep red ft., is the ambitious project will be the feature beds, which ultimately will be extended to all parts of the city. designed to Mississippi River with the Rio Grande, and greatly shorten the travel of ship- of the connect the In This Plan can be Seen the In- terior Arrangement of the Towerlike Automobile Garage, Which is De- signed to — 800 Motor ars

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222 ments. between Texas and Louisiana. Oil and sugar are the commodities that will be directly benefited by the completion ot the new canal, which, unless unexpected opposition develops, should come to pass in the next 10 years FAMOUS LONDON STATION HAS TWENTY-FOUR-HOUR CLOCK General use of the 24-hour clock in England is foreshadowed by the recent installation at Waterloo Station, London, of a great electric timepiece of this type. As seen from the _ photo- graph, the hours from midnight to noon are indicat- ed by Roman nu merals, those from noon to midnight by Arabic nu- merals. The clock’s construction arouses keen interest, also, as the four large dials are apparently without clockwork. Close inspection shows, however, that a small box behind each pivot contains a wheel and magnet. These units are controlled by a master clock giving the hands a for- ward impulse every half minute. COPYRIGHT, INTERNATIONA @ Violin music, continued for a number of hours, is reported to have been used successfully by a New York physician to awaken a woman patient who had slept for six weeks; and the method will be tried in other cases of prolonged uncon- sciousness. Rising from the Decks of Our Battleships, 600 POPULAR MECHANICS AIRPLANE HAILED AS TORPEDO BOAT OF THE FUTURE The torpedo plane is, perhaps, not to be the decisive naval weapon of the future, yet it was undoubtedly toremost in the mind of a former first sea lord of the British admiralty when he made a proph ecy that has astounded England. “The air controls the water,” he wrote; “unless all warships can get under the water, they will be blown out of the water.” This high personage envisions the naval con- test of the future as a brief and ludicrous struggle of lumbering battleships against lightning-swift torpedo planes which will dive from the clouds to within a few feet of the water, release their torpedoes at the ships’ broadsides, then “zoom” un- harmed into the clouds again. He re minds that the thing has already been done, by British planes in the Dardanelles. The United States Navy has not been slow to realize the potential value of such a weapon for the defense of our long, open coast. The torpedo plane was, in fact, invented by an American rear ad- miral, in 1912; it figured in recommenda- tions to congress last January, and soon a large plane of this type will be added to the equipment of the fleet. As the first of 10 planes contracted for, it is now being assembled at an inland city. All of them are to be of the familiar twin-engined bomber type, costing between $40,000 and $50,000 apiece, and designed to carry fuel for six hours’ flight at 100 miles an hour. 'hree men, armed with two Lewis ma- chine guns, will compose the crew, one of them having charge of the regulation 2,087-lb. torpedo, slung between the two halves of the double undercarriage. America’s Shores are Soon to be Protected 7 10 Aerial Torpedo Boats like the One Pictured Above. 1 les to Sea, the Planes will Swoop Down upon _the Vessels of the Invader, Release Their. Torpedees as Shown, Then Fly Back to the Coast under Their Own Power. Target Moving at-Such a Pace Is Difficult to Hit with Guns in Present Use

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~~ © on POPULAR’ MECHANICS WIRE LOOP ON SUBMARINE ENDS RADIO TROUBLES Seemingly the simplest element of as its position is fixed, it cannot becom: radio equipment, the antenna proved the entangled with other articles. most troublesome when — oa applied to submarines. fhe trailing wires were a constant menace when traversing a mine field, and not. infrequently they caught on the pro- peller of the boat. Ex- periments by U. S&S. Bureau of Standards en- gineers and naval off- cers have evolved a new form of construction, eonsisting of a single turn of wire, arranged in a loop, from a short mast in the center of the boat to each end of the deck. This so-called ‘aerial” transmits and receives with great power when entirely submerged, as well as when the boat is afloat Submarine Equipped with Single-Turn Loop Type of Radio Antenna. Whic} or half submerged, and Passes from a Mast at the Center to Both Ends of the Boat ASKS BELGIUM TO KEEP COAL to place vessels directly over two flam« The stove is supplied with a carrying AND SELL ELECTRICITY handle, removable legs, and a lid that italy’s industries use 60,000 tons of Bel- . can be fastened when shut. Food. tabl yian coal a month, and would take a mil- ion if transportation difficulties did not forbid. To ship it by rail costs the pro- hibitive sum of $36 a ton in freight charges. An Italian scientist calculates that Belgium could convert its coal di- rectly into electric power at 150,000 volts and deliver it over a copper line at a little less than one cent a kilowatt-hour, allow- ing 12 per cent for interest, depreciation, and maintenance on a $280 transmission line, and 20 per cent for line losses. On ton of the coal produces only 500 kilo watt-hours, so the cost figures are decid edly favorable to the electrical method TINY COOKSTOVE RESEMBLES SMALL SUITCASE Similar in appearance to a small suit case, a diminutive cookstove, rece ntly in —-— wi = menses vented by an eastern man, can be made When Closed, as Shown Above, This Stove Resembies ready for use in a few seconds, and is a oun Below hk a Se oy had AK, se suitable for the preparation of a large meal. Canned solid fuel is burned in the ware, cooking utensils. and a supply of device, which is made of sheet metal, per- fuel, besides the legs, can be packed in forated in such a way that it is possible side the stove.

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WHY ROB THE GILA MONSTER OF ITS VENOM? By ROBERT H. MOULTON ERTAIN individuals of Santa Fe, N.-M., have ‘sent up a loud wail ‘be- cause all things that once made the great Southwest fearsome and thrilling are disappearing one by one, and soon the place will be no more wild and woolly than Fifth Avenue, New York. The im- mediate cause of this lament is the an- nouncement by the University of Arizona, This Is the Gila Monster, Formerly the Southwest's Favorite Hair-Raiser. It Is Now the Object of Attack by a Scientist Who Affirms That Its Bite has Never Yet Caused Death after long and painstaking research, that there never has been an authentic case of death resulting from the bite of the Gila monster. What a shame! Of course this will be sad news to those of us who, ever since our early youth, when we read and were horribly fascinated by accounts of the deadly venom and ferocious ways of this rep- tile, have cherished the hope that some day we might have the pleasure of ob- serving—from a safe distance—the crea- ture pulling off a few stunts in its native haunts, particularly that interesting little one of expelling its poisonous breath with a vicious hiss, and causing the instant death and destruction of all plant and animal life within a traditionally wide circumference. But that’s all over now. Trust a scien- tific shark to take the thrill out of what has always been mysterious and awe- inspiring until science got to fooling with it. For there are other things, also, it appears—many others—which once helped to add to the wildness and woolli- ness of the West, but which now, alas, are no more. For instance, a short time ago the in- vestigators found out, or_at least so it is said, that the hvdrophobia skunk’s bite is no more dangerous than that of the common house or Thomas cat. The axalotl, whose deadliness the people of the Southwest once fondly cherished as one of their most popular and _ well- known dangers, was eaten up in large numbers by the fish when trout were planted in a lake in the Pecos country. Whereas it was once proudly told the effete that the tarantula could jump 50 2°4 feet and bite while he was still jumping, throwing the- victim at once into fatal spasms, they are now assured that he can only crawl at a snail's pace and that all one gets from his nippers is a headache. The horny toad’s peaceful and affec- tionate disposition and lack of offensive potentialities have become so well-known that Southwesterners can lie about him no more; the scorpion is becoming a harmless joke, and it is declared that youngsters of that locality do not hesi- tate to hitch them to paper wagons and drive them about. Of course, they still have their old friend, the rattler, theme of a thousand hair-raising narratives, whose murderous rattle still makes both Westerner and EKasterner jump sideways and volplane out of the way when he rears his ugly head; but who knows? The Moki handle him with impunity and make a necklace out of him, and one of these days some kill-joy scientist will step out and prove that the diamond-back, when you get right down to facts, is as harmless as a fishworm, and that his reputation for frightfulness is founded on nothing more substantial than the pink-elephant dreams of a chronic souse. severe RARE SUGAR FOUND IN HIVES OF AMERICAN BEES Melezitose is a sugary substance always much desired by scientific laboratories, but previously about as plentiful as ra dium. Occurring in a honeyed incrusta tion onaleguminous tree in Persia, it was formerly imported in minute quantities, and at considerable expense. But now it has been found in Pennsylvania, neatly stored away, in the honeycombs of ordi nary hives. Experts of the Federal Bu- reau of Chemistry explain its presence there as the result of attacks on scrub pine by certain plant lice and other insect species. In the course of their activities, these parasites produce a honey dew which is rich in melezitose. Attracted to this “dew” when the clover flowers have ceased to yield honey, the bees bear it to their hives for future consumption. When winter comes, however, they find it indi- gestible, and often die of starvation. Bee farmers are consequently warned against this unusual sugar; but American chem ists are glad to know that melezitose can now be secured in sufficient quantities without importation.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 225

Drawn by Five Horses, This Mechanical Corn Husker is Stripping the Ears from the Stalks, Then Husking the Ears, and Dropping Them into the Accompanying Wagon at the Right MECHANICAL HUSKER REPLACES LABORERS IN CORNFIELD With the expense of husking corn gon to 8, 10, and 12 cents a bushel, many corn-belt tarmers have thought it best to buy mechanical huskers. Thus m chinery again does work once thought ossible only for human hands. Drawn five horses, or a small tractor, the ker strips the ears from the stalks by ns of two revolving cylinders, which » remove the hwsks \ convevor thet the ears to a chute vw ich drops 1 into the accompanving wagon. The hat 1 husker |] Ss its l tions, ot rse, functioning rather inefficiently in ry poor corn, and in corn with many len stalks. It balks. too. at picking up e ears from the ground. But in good ot nenris missed in a day's METER RECORDS VIBRATIONS ON REVOLVING DRUM Vi Vibrations plane wings, of automobile frames, air- or other objects of test are recorded for further study by means of a new instrument of French origin. <A dia- phragm loaded with a heavy metal disk closes an air chamber, forming the trans- mitting part. The receiver is a similar chamber, whose diaphragm is connected to a stylus resting upon the lampblacked surface of a drum revolved by clockwork. \ rubber tube connects transmitter and receiver. The latter is calibrated before use by comparison with a vibrating rod, which has an adjustable weight to vary

The Receiving Chamber with Its Recording Drum Connected by a Rubber Tube with a Vibration Transmitter in the Laboratory tion. When the re- af the leaded cel ris vibrated. the inertia ot

Installation of the Vibration Meter on the Front cf an Autorrobile Frame, Whose Vibrations are Recorded on the Revolving Drum of the Receiver for Later Study diaphragm causes air fluctuations to be transmitted to the recording stylus.

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226 POPULAR MECHANICS SMOKE EXPERT IN AIRPLANE SAMPLES AIR ABOVE CITY For very good reason Salt Lake City was the scene of the first aerial analysis The Smoke Inspector is Shown Just before His Airplane Tour over Salt Lake City. In the Bottles, Here being Exhausted by the Air Pump, He Later Collected His ‘‘Samples” of Contaminated Atmos- phere. These Samplings were Made at a Definite Altitude, and Supple- mented by Photographs of a city’s smoke problem. The inter mountain city, though not the only one cursed by this modern blight, is pecul- iarly handicapped in her fight against it. Near-by mountains form a_ pocket in which the smoke hangs in heavy cloud when no high winds are blowing to di sipate them. These murky masses are seen almost daily from the ground: bi only the other’day were they examined first hand for elevation, size, and density. A smoke expert from the U. S. Bureau of Mines made the tour of inspection in an airplane. At various specific altitudes he noted air currents and smoke conditions, snapped photographs, and actually col- lected “samples” of the tainted atmos- phere in bottles he had previously ex- hausted with an air pump. On the valu of his reports and analyses is said to hang the future use of the airplane in th novel capacity. STEEL ANCHOR CHAINS FORMED BY POURING INTO SAND MOLDS \nchor lenot] area 1 atone — m- lengtns are now eINnE made qui and successfully by pouring steel chains of all S1zes to cunningly contrived molds of s and thus* casting the entire chat one time. Chains used in the have been of wrought iron, 1 by bending and welding straight i bars. Steel chains, however, construct in this old-fashioned way were usu too ductile to ke ep shape O1 so brittl the welds were weak. Cast’ chains « steel are free from these defects makers of this new commodity ins high quality by using nothing but from the electric furnace. In additi after the castings have are shaken out of the molds and special tempering heat treatment é ‘| hough its De opl are rapidly succ ing to oppression by the nefarious Tur! can oe! the land of Armenia is unbelievably in iron, copper, marble, and gold. LIFT PLATFORM ADDED TO ELECTRIC TRUCK Believing that there is a place in every large factory for a machine that saves storage space, job time, and labor cost, a manufacturer of industrial equipment is now producing a storage-battery truck with an elevating load platform. The truck itself is carried almost entirely on the rear wheels, space above the front wheels being reserved for the cantilever lifting arms and the load they carry. Steering on all four wheels, the truck is able to turn in a circle of 92 in. diameter, and is thus well qualified for operation in congested stock rooms and freight-car interiors. Ball bearings and worm drives are used throughout. As the cantilever arms can raise a load of 4,000 lb. to a maximum height ot in., use of this truck permits advantage: reorganization of factory routine at layout. Much unskilled labor may bh leased, as the machine not only bear load from the warehouse, but lifts it the exact level of a box-car floor or m« tor-truck platform; heavy castings ma he positioned and held conveniently above the lathe bed while being centered, and other applications will suggest themselves amid other conditions. Most reorganiza tion is possible in the warehouse, how ever, where the heaviest stock may be kept in racks of two, three, and four tiers Storage capacity of a given floor space will in this way be doubled or tripled. ne A iC eR name Sh ee

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Use of the Electric (With the Stock Piled } Lifting Truck Permits on Small Wooden | the Storage of Stock on * | Platforms, the Truck Steel Racks like These iilis Able to Slip Its

: ae : r in the Upper Photo- =) | Cantilever Armsunder Ee graphs "| the Load, Then Ele- Geageee | vatelt,and BackAway

Lowering the Cantilever Arms to Floor Level, the Operator has Thrust Them under an Imposing Pile of Warehouse Stock, Which He will Later Distribute

hh es nD

The Truck’s Elimination of Unskilled Labor is Understood from This Photograph. Hav- ing Carried the Load of Barrels from the Factory, the Truck Lifts Them to the Exact Level of the Motor-Truck Platform. Transfer is Now Made Easily and Quickly

' A Most Satisfying Use of the Lifting Truck is Seen Here. i The Big Casting has been Brought to the Lathe, Positioned over the Bed, and is Now being Centered by the Operator. Incidentally,, the Truck Has Three Speeds Forward and _> Three Reverse

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228 POPULAR MECHANICS BUS-GARAGE ROOF ARRANGED FOR ADDITIONAL STORY When more floor space becomes neces- Sary in a one-story garage recently erect- | Addition of a Second Story ed in an eastern city by a motor-bus company, it will be easy to add another story to the structure. Pillar founda- tions were built through the roof, and are in readiness to receive the supports for a higher shelter, while the roof itself is strong enough to serve as a second floor without alteration. The building was constructed on a slope, so that the roof is on a level with one street, and the floor with another. Snowplows and trucks are now kept on the roof. AMERICAN CHEMISTS DISCOVER SECRET OF SOY SAUCE Oriental countries have been for years the sole producers of soy sauce, used in practically all meat condiments mixed in this country, but now the United States seems likely to become a rival of China and Japan in the manufacture of this com- modity. Government chemists, after only a year’s work, announced recently that a fair quality of soy sauce had been made by them, though the method employed in the Far East requires five years to accom- plish the same result. Soy beans, roasted wheat, a mold known as yellow-green aspergillus, and brine, are its ingredients. @New spectroscopic equipment and methods are being developed for the analysis of helium gas, in the hope of finding coronium, chief ingredient of the solar corona, and hitherto regarded as a nonterrestrial substance. COPYRIGHT, KEYSTONE WiEW CO Protruding from the Roof of This Motor-Bus Garage can be Seen the Pillar Foundations That were Built to Make Easy the HIGHWAY ENGINEERING TAUGHT IN 115 AMERICAN COLLEGES Of encouraging interest to those who hope some day to see the United States close-bound by a_ weil- planned system of roads is the recent report that of 127 technical schools throughout the country, 115 are now _— giving courses in highway en gineering. Such response of the colleges to populat enthusiasm not only gives permanence to the “good roads” move ment, but proves that the road work of the future ‘is to be in expert hands And that these college- trained men are to have work to do is shown by another report, which re veals that the treasuries of counties states, and nation now hold a grand total of $1,300,000,000 for road building and maintenance. STOP COAL-MINE EXPLOSIONS WITH CLOUDS OF ROCK DUST Fighting dust with dust is the new and curious method adopted by the U. S. Bu reau of Mines for neutralizing the effect of coal-mine explosions. Long wooden boxes, filled with rock dust, are sus- pended across the roof of each mine gal lery at frequent intervals. An explosion of coal dust shatters the boxes, and the resulting cloud of incombustible rock dust smothers the flame and cuts off its progress, ending the blast before it is fairly started. Rock Dust Contained in Wooden Boxes Hung from the Gallery Roofs of Coal Mines, Effectively Smothers the Flame of Explosions

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.u , tt. high and was It. 1M the Network at the Left with a Compressed-Air Gun

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230 POPULAR VENETIAN FUNERAL GONDOLAS SUGGEST BYGONE SPLENDOR Though the gold-embroidered awnings and colored woodwork of the medieval Gliding toward the Grand Canal of Painted Woodwork and Tasseled Hangings, the Imag to the Thirteenth Century, When the Nobles of Ven Their Gondolas Beautiful gondolas have long been prohibited by \ enetian law, a suggestion of the vanished pomp is still seen in the funeral barges that sometimes make their appearance. One of these is shown in the photograph, with carved and painted prow, and cabin richly curtained. Three gondoliers slowly propel it along a narrow waterway to- ward the Grand Canal, whose broad sur- face will bear the funeral procession to the church and cemetery. GAS PRODUCER ON MOTOR CAR SUBSTITUTE FOR GASOLINE By installing a small producer-gas plant in a vehicle, and generat gasoline motor as ing 9% it is needed, as

with This Funeral Barge, in

MECHANICS FARMERS ADD TO ARABLE LAND BY TERRACING HILLSIDES Sloping fields and hillsides from which the good soil has been eroded by rushing drainage waters, leaving bare, uncultivable scars are common on farms in all parts ot the country. Many farmers are reclaiming these barren patches, and increa : ing their useful land by now Ss many acres, by terracing the slopes to hold bach the water and stop the : erosion. In this work both governmental at . ite departments ars ssisting. lhe te TAaces iT < arTrral either in fl ridges across the sloy Broad base ridge ination Sipe Back Perseding the older e Vied to Make row-base constructio on modern farms, be cause they are traversed more easily cultivating machinery, and offer more r sistance to the water. CURIOUS FARMING IMPLEMENT

PLOWS WITH HUGE AUGERS By replacing the plow of traditi form with a group of huge auger revolve on vertical shafts as the macl that carries them moves along, a C fornia inventor has evolved a novel c tivating machine. Toothed edges o1 auger blades assist in tearing up and 1 verizing the soil, making the implem: both a plow and a harrow. The vert

an English engineer has provided what appears to be an it substitute for gasoline. Hard coal, coke, or charcoal may be used for fuel, and the gas producer, designed, efficies as weighs only about two per cent of the car and its load, and occupies little space. For truck use, it is claimed that hard coal at $12 a ton would be equivalent, in operating cents a gallon. enough 12 The gas producer is small economy, to gasoline at for installation on motorboats.

shafts are driven by chains from a ga i — ; Machine That Plows by Boring, ItsAuger like Tools, Depend ing from the Frame Driven by the Er gine Above | line engine on the wheeled frame, which is adjustable for varying the depth of the furrows.

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BE eeaen:, int OTS es ewes 7 tee Me ne ~ a SAMUEI \UGHT’S wireless crew y lot when at last it is a ight or sink. At the first of the bugle call, “All hands clear » for action,” an auxiliary station is d either on the ship’s bridge, in conning tower, in the admiral’s emet y cabin, or upon the quarterdeck, so the warship’s commander has at all i wireless telegraph oince lit rally lhe operator manning th 1 set, in the wireless room three o1 decks below the water line, is seated re at least two extremely large speak bes, each capable of being switched erent portions of the ship, by which nay be in constant vocal communica- 1 with the executive otheers above this is considered far too slow, for in e pinch of battle every split second |. The main wireless room, however, is as the sending station, the auxil operator flashing his message from ve by means of a distant-control re which, by actuating a powerful mag- t fastened to the main key below, opens | closes that key just as though a man hand were doing it. The auxiliary erator attempts little receiving amid crash of battle, although subsequent » the conflict he may cut in his apparatus overhead antenna. p-to-date battleships and larger cruis re amply supplied with wireles so many that it would take several imed enemy shots completely t their wireless communicatio Is he« iS. ie big, main aerial st1 Equipment of a Modern Battleship Wireless Room: Distant-Control Magnet Key, Two Large Speaking Tubes, Switch for Connecting Auxiliary wag. the semaphore. the Stations, and Push-Button Starting Switch wat ae a veen the tops of the military masts: oth- ers between outboard extremities of both THE WARSHIP’S WIRELESS When Enemy Seaplanes Spy About, the Gun That can Fire at Any Angle, and Wing a Plane Two Miles Overhead, Is the Best Defense oO mi] ; ‘ } t ‘ C© may s etch down- 1 7 1 to A UCCNS L m ] YT Gq, ar ’ ‘ . Sta poa;rc i ort he De . r ] ( ral- . | OT 1 - ez t ¢ operator, by throwing : . : tohy +1 th m i} 1 ireless room. \ | ? Ty \ sight of other vessels ofa fieet.a 1 igs ra ‘ ( , tically all oft | reless work with d tant -} ips and shore stations, relay- ing radiograms from and to its junior companions by means of the flag wig blinker, or the search light. This procedure minimizes chances of interference and delays incident to too Popular Mechanics features will appear in moving pictures issued by Paramount Magazine, 251

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232 POPULAR MECHANICS many ships’ trying to telegraph simul- taneously, and more- over, with but one ship’s wireless being heard, hostile fleets have no means of knowing the strength of their enemy unless, in deed, they rely upon their seaplanes, and the latte: couriers of the ait have by no means an easy row to hos these davs when warships have guns that fire at any angk and can wing an aeroplane two miles straight above them. Nevertheless, al- though they may not so much as touch their own kevs without specific permission from the chief radio. office: aboard the mothet ship, the telegra phers on junior ves- sels of a fleet at sea are not idle. To each 1s i or set of wave leng the, to which their receiving apparatus must be attuned, so that very few are the dots and dashes that slip by a fleet un- noticed. This system is made especially necessary because, these days, new wire- less stations are springing into being like mushrooms, both on land and sea, each differing in construction to some degree, land each churning the ether about them with wireless impulses of differing lengths. In war time this conglomeration of wave lengths may be practiced on purpose to deceive, elude, or mystify a belligerent, while during times of tranquillity it is necessary so that the ever-increasing volume of wireless business may be handled with proper dispatch. Of course, the ships, thus patiently listening in on many wave lengths, intercept a vast quantity of irrelevant stuff, but every now and then they may pull down a choice morsel from the sky that pays them well for their vigilance. Should it be desired, a ship may listen in on two or three different wave lengths The Spreaders for Radio Antennae on the United States assigned a Battleship ‘‘Pennsylvania,” certain wave length, the Wireless Provision for War. A Switch Connects Any Desired Set of Antennae simultaneously, by connecting two or three receiving sets to the same antenna. This course, how- ever, has a serious disadvantage in that should either of th: receiving operators change his adjust ment in the slightes degree the better t hear some pa wave train, he aut matically throws hi mates out of kelte: This suggests t] question why, with so many o head wires to from, each of thi listeners do not 1 individual antenn They may do But the effect changing adjust “ments would practically just pronounced, for t reason that thet antennae are to close together. Lik a flock of chatteri blackbirds holdiu as Seen Here, Indicate COMMUNION amo! a lot of telegrap! wires along som-¢ busy highway, wireless waves love to h from wire to wire and back again, seen ingly for no other reason than to which perch they like best. HOT-WATER PIPE CORROSION ENDED BY EXCLUDING AIR Steel and wrought-iron pipes of h water heating systems frequently beco: corroded to uselessness in seven or eight years. The action is especially noticeab! where fresh water is admitted to the sys tem in large quantities. The Burezu of Mines has found that water from which free air is excluded or removed loses its corrosive effect. A system provided with a storage tank containing expanded- steel lath, to which the water gave up its oxygen, showed no corrosion after three years of service; and open heater sys tems, in which the water is heated to 180° F. or more while at rest, thus ex- pelling all-its air, have served 10 years without corroding. 2 aS —o a

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vai POPULAR MECHANICS w OCW pe oe ee - Giant Statue of Nichiren, the Founder of a Buddhist Sect in Japan, is Gradually Taking Form alon; the Rocky Hillside as the Sculptors Work, as Shown in the Large Picture. The Insert Below, of the Statue’s Wood Model, Indicates Its Final Appearance ENORMOUS JAPANESE STATUE CARVED IN HILLSIDE ROCK e stone image of Nichiren, founder a Buddhist sect, will stretch its re- ng form along 240 ft. of rocky hill- when Japanese artists and artisans mplete their work of sculpturing the tone outcropping of a little island he Inland Sea. The owner of the is- is financing the undertaking rhe + new statue on which work was begun it 1913, as mentioned in the Novem- issue of Popular Mechanics Magazine that year, will exceed by 58 ft. the neth of the Burma reclining Buddha. CLOTHING DUMMY REHEARSES FOR MOTION-PICTURE STAR By placing the burden of tedious re hearsal on the patient shoulders of “Nora, the Dummy,” a famous motion- picture star is setting a precedent that is certain to be gratefully followed in other tudios. Uncomplainingly, “Nora” takes the place of the winsome favorite, while lights are being adjusted, distances meas- ured, and the “supers” drilled. Sitting comfortably beside the camera meanwhi ? re star is able to offer sympathetic criti cism and suggestion. Details settled, sh: RIGHT, PRESS While Studio Lights are being Adjusted, Distances Measured, and ‘Supers’ Drilled, This Clothing Dummy Impersonates the Star, Who Thus is Spared the Exhaustion of Too Much Rehearsal steps before the camera, and portrays he: role with unwearied vigor and enthusiasn @ Plans for constructing portable wheat granaries have been prepared by the D« partment of Agriculture for free distribu tion to farmers.

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23 POPULAR MECHANTCS The Curve on the Peking-Kalgan Railway, Pictured at the Left, has been Sown with Grass to Prevent Erosion This Work, with the Elaborate Cut-and-Fitted Masonry at the Bottom, Is Possible Only in a Country Erosive Force of the Torrential Rains is Illustrated by the Photograph of the Fill at the Right Where Labor Costs Next to Nothing. The Terrific BODY OF DELIVERY CAR BUILT LIKE PHONOGRAPH CASE A delivery car that works for its owner even when standing still is the property of an enterprising music dealer in a large The Body of This Delivery Car Resembles a Phono- graph Case in Every Detail, Including the Crank Handle. The Car is Owned by a Dealer in Musical Supplies sure advertisement as the body 1 The car is a wherever it city. 1] goes, semlbies very appropriately, a large phonograph case. To make the likeness complete. th builders added every accustomed detail, even to the cranking handle. HEAVY RAINS MENACE CHINESE RAILWAY BY EROSION The spirit of “China for the Chinese” never had fuller expression than in the construction of the 120 difficult miles of the Peking-Kalgan Railway. It was a purely Chinese undertaking, being engi- neered and capitalized by natives, and still notable for the peculiar country it traverses. One section, in particular, subject to such torrential rainstorms that every precaution must be taken against washouts. The photographs on this pag: illustrate this necessity, one showing how the cheapness of native labor mak possible to hold the soil by actual cult! vation of the slopes, the second photo graph picturing the erosion that resulted from a rainiall of 9 in. in eight hours GLASS-TOPPED SHIELDS MADE FOR DENTAL LATHES The dentist o yning a small laborator lathe may now equip it with glass-toppe hields, or splashers, which guard grinding and butting wheels, and so pro tect him from flying powder, and ke hi workbench clean In the cout the year, too, these guards will effect considerable ld and sili I ll the grindings fall, through a tray, t the bottom, where they may be sal These Glass-Topped Shields Keep the Dentist’s Work- bench Clean, and will Eventually Save Him Money in Gold and Silver Grindings Recovered The tops are made of glass, so that the work may be illuminated from all sides.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 235 FORK MAKES ELECTRIC TRUCK FACILE FURNACE CHARGER The use of a huge “fork” with an ordi- nary electric truck has solved for a manu- facturer of malleable cast ron one of his most per- plexing factory prob- ems, namely, the remov- of the hot clay “pots” rom the crowded inte- rr of a roofed-over iting furnace. The peration, once tedious, a matter of min- es. When a.furnace is pened, the truckman his fork beneath the ol on which rests one the pots. Closing a tch, a separate motor s the two-ton object r ot the floor, ‘ now and it back as on a steve- res hand truck. The to the “knockdown” pots, is then made in two minutes or less To charge the furnace the operation is simply reversed. The truck’s rear wheels are equipped with steel “herringbone” tires, as best qualified for such work. Or, where the castings e removed from the [ISOLATED RANCHMEN OPERATE OWN SALT VATS lar distant from the railroad, like many nother western point, Star Valley, Wyo., nevertheless the home of several ranch- en. These carry all their supplies erland by wagon; all, that is, but It for their cattle. This nature has rovided in the form of salt springs in e surrounding hills. Near the springs ranchers have built a hut, and there- erected their own crude salt vats, or The Clay ‘“‘Pots’”’ Containing the Iron Castings are Here being Placed in the Furnace in Preparation for a *‘Heat.”’ the Electric Truck, This Work is Done with Deftness by in Front of Which Extends the Motor-Operated ‘“‘Fork’”’ evaporators. These resemble mortar boxes, but have metal bottoms, beneath which fires are kept burning. When all the water has been evaporated, the salt is shoveled out, and the its refilled fron the springs. By hastening the process, th ranchmen obtain a finer grade of salt table use. @ Foreign students of Americanizatio held at a New Jers receiving their natura iZ as diplomas on gradi classes, regularly shipyard, are tion papers Water from the Salt Springs is Brought to the Little Cabin Seen at the Right. Vats, Shown at the Left, Until the Liquid has Evaporated. the Salt-Hungry Herds of Cattle. of Hauling Salt fromthe Railroad, Many Miles Away Here It is Boiled in the Crude The Solid is Then Shoveled Out and Taken to By Thus Operating Their Own Vats, the Ranchmen are Saved the Necessity

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236 FLORAL STREET LIGHTS CARRY OUT ROSE-FESTIVAL SPIRIT lighted red, and street lamps were a strik- ing novelty of the latest rose festi- val in Portland, Ore. The big counterfeit flow- ers were made of stamped metal. the outer circle of petals measur- ing 30 in. across, and a 1,000-watt lamp forming the Electrically pink roses for vellow, center. The lumi- nous blossoms were mounted on stems made of tree branches, with two other - stems wired on, carrying five leaves each. The leaves, 9 in. long and 6 in. wide, also were pressed out of metal. FALLING PENDULUM REVEALS PAPER’S TEARING STRENGTH A paper-testing machine that gives promise of real commercial value is to be credited to the Forest Products L atory of Wis- consin. In de- tail, the = in- strument con- sbor- sists of a hor- izontal axle, which is mounted on ball beari vs, and carries on one end a grooved wheel, on the other « fixed l arm with ad- justable pen- dulum weight. Over the grooved wheel runs a cord, one end of which is attached to a paper clip. the other to a brass cylinder of equal weight. To runa test on paper stock sub- mitted, one edge of a sample, five inches square, is clamped horizontally below the wheel. A central “tongue,” an inch and a half wide, is left free, however, and to this the paper clip is attached. Raising the lever arm high to the left, the oper- o POPULAR MECHANICS ator notes its exact position, then release, it. Falling, it tears the paper, then swing a certain distance to the right. Noting this second position, the operator is able to compute the work done in tearing th paper. Three or four sheets are at a time, and the mean result the true tearing strength. tested taken a MECHANICAL BOTTLE WASHER OPERATED BY HAND Dairymen whose trade is too small to warrant the use of a power bottle washer ae . no doubt will ap prove of a hand operated cleaning device now on the market. On one end of a spiral- grooved rod is at- tached a_ brush which is revolved inside a bottle when the latter is placed over it and pressure applied to force the shaft through a fixed bearing that is supplied with a ridge to engage the groove. When the pressure is re- moved, a spring returns the rod to its first position, the brush being turned the opposite direction during this opera- tion. FALSE TEETH MOVE NATURALLY WHEN MOUNTED ON NEW STAND 1 The art of constructing artificial teeth has made long strides during the last de ade: and it steps -— forward onc ¢ again with the re cent invention of the “anatomical articulator’ shown in the pho- tograph. Mount- ing a set of teeth on this stand, the dentist can study the grinding pow- er of the teeth and the effects of jaw motion, at his conven- ience. Defects in a set of teeth are thus revealed with a minimum of discomfort to the patient.

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ODD PLANS WOULD RELIEVE TRAFFIC CONGESTION - ~~ Perplexed by the Growing Congestion of Foot and Vehicular Traf- fic on London Streets, the City is Now Considering Many Sugges- tions for Its Abatement. Two of the Most Promising Plans are Shown on This Page. The Elevated Footways. Above, are Reached from the Street by Moving Stairways. Shops Open on Both Levels At Triple Intersections, like the Above at Wellington Street, Strand, It is Suggested That a Bridge be Opened tothe Lighter, High-Speed Trafhc of One Street. This Viaduct would Occupy Only the Center of the Roadway; Heavier Traffic would Continue to Use the Lower Levels at Both Sides * ~E SPHERE NCON PYS GMT BY THE NEW YORK HERALD

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258 POPULAR MECHANICS Fermenting Rice Mixed with Raisins, Corn, and Yeast. TREE AS DERRICK MAST SAVES BUILDING LABOR Because a grove of oak trees occupied the site of a new cotton mill, in a New Hampshire city, the building contractor Live Tree Used as a Derrick Mast in Building Opera- tions: The Pres- ence of a Grove of Oaks on the Building Site Saved the Contractor Much Labor was able to save much labor in preparing for his hoisting operations. Wherever it was possible he used the trunk of a live tree as the mast of the hoisting der- rick, attaching the steel boom to a pair of timbers firmly clamped to the tree. The towers thus provided by nature proved quite as reliable as any that could be built, and certainly had the advantage in point of cost, as well as in speed of preparation. he cle, The Operators of the Illicit Rice-Liquor Plant and Some of Their Paraphernalia are Seen at the Left. At the Right, a Government Officer is Wrecking a 500-Gallon Wooden Tank Containing Mash Made from Other Capacious Tubs and Barrels Are in Evidence ORIENTAL RICE-LIQUOR PLANT CAPTURED ON WEST COAST The “moonshine” hunters of the west coast are contending with a complication practically unknown to the _ prohibition- law forces elsewhere. The Japanese dis tillers and fermenters of rice are their particular problem. The most ambitious plant of this illicit species yet discovered was captured recently in Oregon, and had a daily capacity of 75 gal. of highly in toxicating beverage, which was being shipped out in bottles labeled “grape juice.” [The government officers di stroyed a wooden tank which contained 500 gal. of mash made of fermenting rice corn, raisins, and yeast. CITY WATER AND TWO CREEKS STOP FIRE IN GOLD MINE All the pumps available, assisted by a newly blasted subterranean drainage tun nel, have been engaged for six weeks in drawing water out of a famous South Da kota gold mine. Meanwhile, of course the mine and all its workers are idle. The flooding, costly as it has been, was not ac- cidental; two creeks and the water sup- ply of a good-sized town were deliberately turned into the shaft. Fire in a gold mine is unusual, but it occurred in this czse be- cause a vast accumulation of disused tim- bers had been stored ina drift, away down at the 2,200-ft. level. A blasting opera- tion ignited the timbers, and the raging fire that followed was only extinguished when the mine had been completely flood- ed. Working day and night, it is esti- mated that the task of drying out the mine will take another two months.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 239 OLD CHURCH STUCCOED HAS EFFECT OF MARBLE Stucco as a transforming and beautify- of the stucco to the brick surface made ng agent for frame structures is familiar the process simpler in this case than coat- to all, but stuccoing a brick build- ing has some novel aspects. Re- cently, in an Ohio city, a big rick church of considerable ar- chitectural beauty, was so treated ith surprisingly attractive re- After cleaning the old work and notching out the nts, a mortar of equal parts of | and cement was applied. A rete of two parts sand and e part cement was then laid on h trowels and shaped to form lock effect. The whole ce was finished with a coat hite cement paint, and the painted in with lampblack d cement. In its new garb, the

The “Before and After” Contrast of the Left and Right Pictures Shows the Effect of the Stucco 1 ICK \ 1 1) oh h strikingly resembles <; ees “ ” - eee Sa —— ure of marble masonry, and iken on an added dignity and beauty inga frame building, which would have its new dress. The direct adhesion necessitated the use of lathing.

MOTOR TRUCK HAULS 40-TON CASTING 21 MILES

\ feat with but few parallels in motor- that the driving wheels might grip the k history was the recent transporta- road, the truck itself was ballasted with on, over 21 miles of pub- an engine stand weighing seven tons road, of a marine- iS ie oS. Adding ballast, trailer, and the load proper, gine cylinder weigh- 4 it is seen that the truck engine was ¢ 40 tons. The ige load was car- | on a specially 1i]t trailer hich itself eighed 12,700 each rear h ee] a C- burdened almost beyond belief. Yet the 21 miles to the shipyard were made without mishap in three hours and 20 min utes, It is the belief of the contractors that the 40-ton load fell short of the trailer’s capacity | ( unting for & good ten tons, as thev fig 2.050 Ib. of this ure the maximum load to total. In order be 100,000 pounds This Great Marine-Engine Cylinder is Believed to Be the Wesvises Load Ever Hauled by a Motor Truck over a Public Highway. It Weighed 40 Tons, and was Carried on ‘a Special Trailer

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) POPULAR MECHANICS MAKESHIFT BAND INSTRUMENTS USED BY EASTERN PLAYERS Shoestrings, materials, tin cans, and other odd assembled to i were form musi-

can expeditionary forces in France dur- ing the war. Though the weird noises made by the strangely equipped band were far from pleasing to western ears, they appeared to satisfy the Oriental l and their comrades, who proved appreciative audiences at all of the con- certs. plavers LARGER MOTOR BUSSES FOR LONDON STREETS Motor busses not unlike small Pullman cars will soon be traveling the streets of London, if plans submitted are officially approved. The new type is much larger than the old, seating 22 passengers on the upholstered seats within and 24 on the roof, as compared with the present ca- pacity of 36. Much of the gain in pas- senger space is effected by placing the driver’s seat to the right of the engine, rather than behind it, as is now the cus- tom. The new chassis is six inches nearer the ground, also, giving the car a center of gravity so low that an upset is prac- tically impossible. As no provision is made for “straphanging,” it is evidently the intention to take on fares only when seats are vacant. NH;, but as a matt ond . ® of fact, the experiment y . Yoo ’ J - ers find that the elements . . a are not equally activated - ( : “ es. ee . by the arc. They sug ? ; | "ee set Ee - gest, in consequence, that : — - an excess of nitrogen be With Instruments Made of Shoestrings and Tin Cans, These Indo-Chinese used. On the whole. the Laborers Gave Unique Concerts in France during the World War . . action is not yet. well ex cal instruments for an _ orchestra re- plained, although as a matter of sim cruited from an organization of Indo- conjecture, it is thought that the mok Chinese laborers, attached to the Ameri- cules of the two gases are dissociated in Though long known as a practical labo- ratory experiment, the electrical synthesis of ammonia has recently been commercial only proved a possibility. chemists find that hydrogen and nitrogen combine in the pres- ence ol an he electric form am- quatitities with the and the me afc £0 monia, in varying pressure as ELECTRIC ARC USED TO MAKE SYNTHETIC AMMONIA al y t t into their constitu making combination easy. the region of the are ent atoms, GRAIN SEPARATOR MADE LEVEL BY ADJUSTING REAR WHEELS hole another with a bit of wo is the ordinary method of le Ing a grain separator on unevel Digging a under one wheel blocking up or stone, so all the grain will not worl ] one away vitn 1 Ss 1 nN rr r nes \ western inventor has « this trouble by hanging of the separator on an ing, adjustable for height by + eccel tric mount means Of a toothed are and a pinion. Either pinion may be turned by a handwheel at the rear.

Grain Separator Made Level on Uneven Ground by Adjusting Rear Wheels with Handwheels at Back

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AIRPLANE SHOT INTO AIR BY SEASLED — 4 sated fl THE demonstrated value of airplanes as scouts for the fleet makes noteworthy an exper- | iment recently conducted by our Navy Department. Instead of steaming a great battleship into the wind, as formerly, then releasing the plane from its platform above emer a gun turret, the little machine was lowered to the deck of a fast seasled. Turning ora into the wind, the sled skimmed along at increasing speed until 50 miles an hour was reached, when the airman “gave her the gun,”’ and the plane rose abruptly into the air.

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242 POPULAR MECHANICS Great Motor Trucks like the One Above are being ity, Automobiles SPRING SUPPLIES HOT WATER FOR OPEN-AIR BATHHOUSE In his desire to partake of the healing benefits of this natural hot spring, a traveler in Idaho has erected a crude bathhouse. rhe tub consists of a box. about 8 by 10 ft., which is sunk into the An Ideal Location for This Somewhat Primitive Bathhouse Is the "Natural Hot Spring on the Bank of an Idaho River deposit and is continually provided with fresh water from the spring by means of a trough. Stakes, upon which canvas sides are tacked, and a few crossed logs complete the structure. Pro.ection from the sun and wind is thus assured, al- though in the secluded location there is no need for privacy or convention. CNet only can British submarines spout like a whale, but they can send messages in the Morse code by staccato jets of water. They used this means in the war to signal their identity to friendly ships. Used by One Express Company to Deliver, about t Shipped in Its Charge EXPRESS COMPANY DELIVERS AUTOS IN SPECIAL TRUCK Unprecedented demand for ple cars has resulted in such heavy ship of automobiles that many are shipp« express, and delivered like ordinary pac ages. To carry these huge “bund! from freight yard to destination, one e» press company has bought several fi ton motor trucks with bodies of spe design. Each is open at the top and e1 and easily holds a roadster or touring JOINTED FURNACE ROD CLEANS ALL SIDES OF FLUES 3y the simple expedient of making furnace-cleaning rod in_ short secti hinged together, a Michigan manut turer produces a tool that will re and scrape clean all sides of the fiu a hot-air heating plant. As the rod The “X-Ray” View Above Shows the Cleaning Rod in a Curved Flue. Below It is Seen Straightened flexible only in one direction, and rigid in the other, its action is easily controlled by a twist of the handle. Extra links can be added if a longer rod is needed. aa og »

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SONA 5 eee “2 Ae ae ee oe POPULAR MECHANICS R45 SURPRISING AMOUNT OF WOOD PECULIAR PUMP HOLDS WATER BY CAPILLARY ATTRACTION Calmly ignoring all the customary r of pump design, an English inventor IN MODERN STEEL BRIDGE limber is popularly supposed to be com- iletely nonessential to the construction of a modern steel and concrete ridge. Just how far this idea leviates from fact is well illus- trated in the case of a new 16- pan steel bridge with concrete- walled approaches, now being yuilt near Fort Smith, Ark., icross the Arkansas River. For the stagings and temporary tres- tle, 17 carloads—more than 300,- WO ft.—of lumber were ordered before construction could be started. Then a small box plant had to be set up to make the con- crete forms. Finally, the whole ‘ridge floor is to be paved with reosoted-wood _ blocks. x “= kely that over 1,000,000 ft. of lumber ll be required before this steel bridge is ompleted. SNOW PUSHER AND SHOVEL COMBINED IN ONE TOOL -ealizing that light, feathery snow is ire easily pushed than shoveled, two Ohio inventors have developed in which both functions combined. lwo to the shovel lade normally lie 1 Oo i. roads a ut pulling a lever the handle locks m imto position as ] as , and irns the Imost at right By Turning the Lever on Its Handle, the Snow Shovel is Changed into the Snow Pusher Seen in the Circular Insert ngles, ready for pushing. A detachable ng for the pusher deflects the snow to ne side. Close Inspection ul ha 5 of the Cable Hanging in the Well Reveals Its Construction of Chains and Coils. The Insert Shows the Idler at the Lower End ie np without ¢ nders or buckets ch hand-ope rele 1) gal. o iter an hour to a height of 300 lhe mech sm co 5s merel Ol an endies cable n 1 oO sec of cha covered wit] hel es or m | like ignti open co \ he dler DD ley h yids the ) eT end of t loop submerged, and in inclosed pull the upper end is equipped with c1 nd flywheel. Capillary attractior the water in the meshes of the heli } } onl it is drawn up, and it is discharged when the coil t | | } : discharge spout in the casing receive x Be Cause of 4 T ers 1! centra iowa iTé CoopveT the erection of needed buildings. with id of the county agent, thus reve rting to the old svstem of mutual . tang barn raising \fter gaining expefi with poultry houses, they will procee larger enterprises t irn Be the e it ence :

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244 POPULAR MECHANICS Oil is Drawn from Wells Driven Deep into the Ocean Bed in the Remarkable Southern California Enterprise Pictured Above. Nat- urally, Considerable Water is Mixed with the Oil, Which is Ex- tracted by Electrical Means. In the Installation at the Right the Oil is Exposed to Electrostatic Action at 11,000 Volts, Forcing the Water Globules to Merge and Flow Out at the Bottom VISE OF UNUSUAL FORM IS TOOL OF MANY USES Machinists’ vises, however improved by new design, usually depart little from the conventional form. One now made in New York, however, is distinguished by several novel features. The plain model is built low, with a quick-sliding jaw and a powerful grip, and the jaws remain ‘parallel under severe strain. The body, a single casting, is finished square on five of its six sides, so that the work it holds can be accurately machined without re- The Vise at the Left Has a Protractor Base; the One at the Right is Finished Square on Five Sides moving or changing it. Another model is built with a protractor base, permitting the work to be turned accurately at any angle. @A mobile shoe-repair unit is being developed experimentally by the Army Department. If a success, the next revi- sion of the tables of organization may add one of these units, with its two auto trucks, to each army division. WATER EXTRACTED FROM OIL BY ELECTRICAL PROCESS Oil as it comes from the wells contains a certain amount of water in suspension, which must be removed. The quantity reaches a maximum in the product of those remarkable oil wells driven in th bottom of the sea, and along the beach, in some parts of southern California. An electrical method of extracting the water has recently been developed, and is prov ing highly efficient, delivering a clear oil with little attention and at a low cost figure. The oil is passed between two plates which are terminals for a single phase alternating current at about 11,000 volts. The process is electrostatic, the inductively charged water globules, mutu- ally attracted, rapidly combining and set- tling to the bottom. REBUILD STEAMER “LEVIATHAN” FOR PASSENGER SERVICE The huge steamship “Leviathan,” once of the German merchant marine, is being rebuilt for American passenger service at an expense estimated at about two mil- lion dollars. Oil burners are to be in- stalled, among other improvements, and new machinery will replace that destroyed by the former crew. Several months will be required to complete the work of re- habilitation. - eee . — re ie ee ae

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AOE AAP Pie Bh hoa 1008 TI icici creer fs OS A A Rare POPULAR MECHANICS 245 SEASIDE ROAD PAVED WITH GOLD-BEARING SAND lack sand from the bottom of the width of 35 ft., it is also cutting and in is being used as a fill in the pav- deepening a useful channel in the bav. of a seaside highway , - the west coast. se- | es an unusual amount iron and mica, this d has been found to mtain gold to the ex- nt of about $2.50 per tbic =yard. There is, owever, no practical ethod of extracting the ecious metal, so the ‘h dirt is useful only rr common filling. The redging of the sand ym the sea_ bottom, hich is done with a ae... Pp, set ves ‘3 double The Dredge in the Distance is Pumping Black Gold-Bearing Sand and urpose. W hile facili- Water from the Bay in the Foreground, to be Used for the Unromantic Purpose of Widening the Highway. Extravagant as the Enterprise Appears, No Practical Method has been Found for Recovering the Gold, iting the extension of he highway to the new and the Sand Is Good Only for Filling ~ SHELLS RELOADED WITH SIMPLE MACHINERY le hand-operated machines ried by horizontally revolving drums, fed sed by the Ordnance Department, by a ratchet arrangement underneath nvise greatly to increase the . pularity of target practice, by ig its cost. This they do reloading used ball-cartridge Is at the rate of 2,500 to 3,000 uur. One machine resizes hells with vertically moving and removes the used prin caps. A second device feeds der into the empty shells, an istable slot in the shaft meas- ’ } ng the charges. The third ma- ree sim] ucil hine seats the new bullets and — ——_——— ~ iming caps by means of verti- At the Left Is the Bullet and Priming Cap Seater; n the Cen- . ' "hy ‘ er ‘ ter, the Powder Charger. and, at the Right, the plungers, the shells be ing Cat Resizer and Decapper CHICKEN-COOP ATTACHMENT ADDS TO TRUCK CAPACITY \ Kentucky produce dealer is so pleased with the portable chicken coop he recently built that he is planning to make one for each of his motor trucks The coop is a five-story cage of wood and steel, with a central door for each floor. Ha ing loaded one of his truck the dealer has the coop set upon the low ered tail gate and lashed in place if this way truck capacity is increased ad: cidedly. The coop weighs little, and oc- Placed on the Lowered Tail Gate, This Portable é rps : ‘ : Chicken Coop Occupies Space Normally Wasted cupies space that is usu lly wasted.

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246 POPULAR MECHANICS MECHANICAL LOADER DELIVERS GRAVEL IN THREE GRADES Extraction of gravel from the pit is considerably accelerated and simplified by ' t. b The Screen at the Top Catches the Coarsest Gravel; a Second Screen Deposits Intermediate Gravel in the Hopper, While Fine Gravel Falls from the Spout an engine-driven loader and screener now manufactured. Passing up the bucket conveyor to the top of this machine, the gravel is thrown upon a _ large-mesh screen which separates the largest stuff from the rest, and sends it directly down a loading chute. The finer material falls upon a second rocking screen which divides it into ordinary gravel and sand. The former is held in a hopper, while the latter falls to the ground. The Three-Phase Welding Transformer in the Central Insert Repaired the Five-Inch Cast-Iron Shaft at the COLOR SCREENS IN TELESCOPE SHOW CONTRASTING IMAGES By a peculiar use of color screens be- tween the objective and eyepiece of his telescope, an English astronomer is able to see two images, in sharply contrasting colors, when he points the instrument at a heavenly body. Inspecting this doubk image, he finds his attention attracted to planetary details hitherto unnoticed. The little pieces of colored glass are semicir- cular in shape, and are placed about six inches beyond the eyepiece, with diam eters touching, but with planes not quit parallel. Peering through the eyepiec: the astronomer consequently sees a di with halves contrastingly colored; an: as the halves are not in the same plane, he sees the planet twice. If it is not i the center of the objective, one disk w receive more light than the other. Know ing this, the astronomer is able to reg late the relative intensity of the contras ing images at will, by moving the object from side to side, and thus attain a mor perfect view. COMPACT THREE-PHASE WELDER HANDLES HEAVY WORK Where three-phase electric current i available, an arc-welding outfit now of fered for heavy repair work claims many advantages of convenience and compact ness. It consists of a transformer in wood case, occupying only 32 by 18-in floor space, and taking current at eithe: 220 or 440 volts, allowing the use of thi leading-in wires. One secondary termi- Left, and Restored to Good Order a Huge Cracked Bed Plate by the Operation Seen at the Right ee ae ae Se Ngee. 2 RRA

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lll: he ap aan ee A MRE Se! . POPULAR il connects by a cable with the metal o be welded. The other has five con- cting screws for varying the current ength, and its cable terminates in a mp for holding the carbon or metal trode. There is a push switch for the imary circuit, but no other circuit ikers, as withdrawing the are stops current flow. A five-inch shaft and massive iron base plate were success lly repaired with this set. CHICKS REARED IN BACTERIA- PROOF INCUBATOR Upon the old question of whether or ot vertebrates can live without the com- inionship of the “benevolent” bacteria hich ordinarily populate their digestive ct, penetrating light is thrown by the cent experiments of a French bacteri ogist. Believing that the affirmative is ie, he has observed painstakingly the rowth of chickens hatched and reared ler sterile conditions. He is able to eport that his bacterialess subjects have eloped vigorously, and at maturity One Side of the Cubical Antechamber has been Raised Here to Show How the Eggs are Washed in Anti- septic before Introduction into the Incubator ve actually displayed unusual resistance » cold, thirst, and hunger. Placed mong untreated fowl, they have easily thstood the inroads of common bac teria. he value of these results to pathology is not safely predicted at this time: yet he experiments are noteworthy, if for nothing else than the ingenious and orig- inal apparatus devised for their execution. laid out on the laboratory table, there first a cubical antechamber, about 37 in. on each edge. Here the scientist washes the eggs in antiseptic solution, and per- forms other manual operations. Com- municating with this antechamber by an ir-tight door is the cylindrical brass in- ‘ubator, about 15 in. long, where gas jets keep the eggs at constant temperature un- MECHANICS 247 til they hatch. Separated from this cham- ber by a cloth curtain is a likewise air- tight cylinder of glass, 50 in. long, where Young Guinea Pigs are being Raised Above, under Conditions Similar to Those Described for Chickens. The Clamped Door of the Incubator Excludes All but Filtered Air from the Pipe at the Right The Refrigerating Coil is Here Seen Clearly at the Top of the Glass Cylinder. Beneath Hangs the Trough Which Catches the Drip Water and Conveys It to the Pampered Chicks the chicks live until their transfer to an unprotected chicken yard, or their death by chloroform at the end of a determin period. It is here, of course, that most elaborate precautions are taken [oOo ex clude invading bacteria. Two substances, alone, are admitted: filtered air and asep- tic food. Water is condensed from the air by a refrigerating coil, which drops it into an inclined gutter, and drinking tub within reach of the chicks. ; ‘ : " tnence into the nn When the Subjects of the Experiments have Attained the Desired Growth, Some are Chloroformed, Dis- membered, and Placed in Culture Tubes Where Bac. teria, if Present, will be Revealed

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248 POPULAR MECHANICS GLASS TRAP IN GASOLINE fall to the bottom of a glass trap. When FILTER CATCHES DIRT too much dirt and water are seen in this transparent cup, it is removed for clean- To the autoist, curious to know how ing. The removal of this trap, incidental- much dirt and water he buys with his ly and obviously, locks the car and pro gasoline, is recommended a new filtering tects it against theft. COMPARE SAPWOOD STRENGTH WITH THAT OF HEARTWOOD Common belief that sapwood is me- chanically weaker than heartwood is ri futed by the results of over 300,000 tests [ made by the U. S. Forest Products Lab oratory. It is demonstrated that mm With This Filter Screwed to the Intake of His Vacuum a ; ; . Tank, the Motorist can Find by a Glance at the perceptible change in mechanical pro] Glass Cup Just How Much Dirt and Water He has erties takes place when sapwood changes Bought with His Gasoline to heartwood. In most native wood attachment of unusual design. Placed however, the sapwood is more readily between the main tank and the vacuum attacked by decay when not protected tank, it guides the gasoline up through preservatives. Such decay naturally is apt a brass screen of fine mesh. Impurities to weaken the wood, especially its resist separated from the gasoline in this way ance to shock, and shorten its life. ITINERANT LIVING QUARTERS ON SMALL TRUCK hat a large chassis is not necessary and silk-curtained, a sleeping couch ar for the construction of motorized living comfortable seats, a writing table, a1 a book rack. Special means are provided. for carrying fresh food, and there is stot age space for provision utensils, and other necessi ties. An alcohol lamp is used for cooking. In the corners are two water tanks of 4!4 gal. capacity. Electric light and a fan increase the home like effect. Small as this itin erant home is, its ownet regards it as far more com fortable than many hotels. View of the Interior, with Its Couch, Bench, Water Tanks, and Electric Fan quarters has been demon- strated by a Texas man, who has built a good- sized room on the frame of a small truck, the whole weighing but 3,060 Ib There are 10 win- Side View of the Compact Little Vehicle That Combines Easy Transpor- ; F tation with Comfortable and Even Luxurious Quarters for Living, dows, copper-screened Sleeping, and Eating gt Rilke A ~~ ahersae e

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oitiea nee 6

PP ye Or um, WELDS THAT ARE MAKING GQOD

Py R.P Crawford Sunflowers Grown for Silage: The Russian Variety Used Grows as High as Twelve Feet, and as Feed r Cows It Appears to Induce a Greater Milk Production, with a Considerable Saving of Clover Hay N' Tf all the romance connected with . the utilization of the once useless is ned to the factory. There is much it in agriculture, and many plants h were once considered weeds are beit gy h irvested as Crops. Probably re has been, during the last few rs, nothing more striking in this con- nn than sweet clover. so very long ago a great deal of heard in the Nebraska legisla- of de claring sweet clover an outlaw pest, but most of the then legislators rmers have lived to see hundreds of of it not only in Nebraska but all er the country. At one time the bee vere accused of surreptitiously sow- along the highways, for it is great pasture, but the up-to-date farmer it for a crop and keeps a few stands ees to make money from the flowers. Few crops of the kind have proved h a success as sweet clover. It will w in practically any part of the United tates. It may be utilized for feeding urposes in the shape of pasturage, hay, or ensilage, and many farmers make good ‘rots handling the seed. In many re- spects sweet clover compares favorably with alfalfa, and, being a biennial, it lends itself readily to a variety of crop rotafions. Many farmers-grow it simply to enrich sf the soil, some authorities declaring that it is unequaled by any other crop tor th purpose. \nother example of similar nature is the sunflower, which at present seems to just coming into its own. At half a doze: institutions in the middle West expet ments with it are under way, and t Montana Experiment Station has tried it with good results in the form of silag s a feed fo dairy cOoW The mammoth Russian variety, which attains a height of 7 to 12 ft., was used. One lot of co was fed grain and clover | while the other lot was fed grain. clover hav. and sunflower silage. Both lots received the same amount of grain. One lot received 21 Ib. of clover hay per head daily, whil the other received 12 lb. of clover hay and 34 lb. of sunflower silage. The aver- age milk produced per cow daily was 34.35 lb. for the latter ration, and 22027 e . . } 33.37 lb. for those receiving grain an clover hay. No objectionable flavor wa found in the milk from the cows fed sunflowers. An average daily feed of 34 Ib. of sunflower silage effected a daily saving of approximately 9 Ib. of clover hay per cow. The two lots of cows were alternately fed the two rations for an equal length of time, thereby making sur that no differences in the two lots 949 <

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250 themselves accounted for the results. The yield of sunflowers under irrigation was 36 tons per acre. Experiments along the same line have also been conducted at the Scottsbluff Ixperiment Farm at Mitchell, Neb. Asa result, farmers are advised not to “go too strong” on suntlowers as yet, but to try out a small patch of sunflower for silage. Work is also being done at the Nevada Experiment Station. In that state the sunflower is ready for harvest by Sep- tember Ist, and can be cut green and put into the silo before danger of frost. Corn, on the other hand, is often damaged by a killing frost before it has reached the silo stage. One of the most interesting instances of the use of weeds for feed is the Rus- sian thistle. Scarcely anyone would think of feeding Russian thistles, yet there is one Nebraska farmer who hauled them for several miles, and made good use of them. He said: “The Russian thistle is the most seri- ous weed pest on the Truckee-Carson project. It will grow everywhere, where land is not cultivated under irrigatior, and on the higher lands where the water not reach it. Last year we ex- perienced a shortage of crops to fill the silo, so I decided to use the Russian thistle. The thistles were cut with a mowing machine the last of August, just as the spines were forming on the plants, and placed in the silo at a total cost of $1.65 per ton. Salt was added according to judgment as the silo was being filled. We started feeding the silage to steers at does POPULAR MECHANICS night, with 8 lb. per head daily, gradually increasing this amount to 20 lb. for eaci feeding. The value of the silage is esti- mated at $7 per ton. It is highly relishe by the stock, which are showing mucl. better gains than those fed on alfalfa alone.” Certainly the moral of this item is not that everyone should plant sweet clover, or sunflowers, or Russian thistles. But does it not suggest the day when the utili- zation of the odds and ends will be as im- portant in the field as in the factory? CAR MADE IN ELEVEN MINUTES AT ENGLISH AUTO PLANT Workers in an automobile plant near Manchester, England, are jubilant be- cause they have accomplished the com plete assembly-of one car in 11 minutes, breaking an American record established at Detroit some time ago. The plant that produced this remarkable british perform- ance is a branch of the Detroit factory, using American methods of work. To speed up production, the competitive spirit 1s encouraged by posting output figures for the day and week on a large bulletin board, in which the employes di play much interest. @ An award of $25,000 has been conferr by the British government jointly up two inventors credited with designing the military tank. Others who had mad acceptable suggestions were given smal prizes in keeping with their helpfuln Sweet Clover, Once Regarded as a Pest, Now is Cultivated as a Crop on Pasturage, Hay, and Silage. Many a Farm, and Uscd as Special Sleds are Constructed for Hauling It from the Field to the Threshe

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2 Re POPULAR MECHANICS 251 EVOLVING ELECTRIC FURNACE HAS POINTS OF ADVANTAGE n electric brass furnace in the shape been 1 revolving drum has jected to its first mercial tests, which ate a considerable ntage over ordinary . in labor and other The- drum car- metal hoop at each and is revolved by rs, without gearing, contacts carrying rrent. The elec- Ss are arranged in xis of the drum, and is carried by a cir- r door which admits harge. The tap hole the opposite end, 1S stopped with recently nt View of Rotating Electric Furnace, with Door Open to Admit Charge: One Electrode Is in the Door. The Driving Rollers Are at the Bottom sand while melting. The lining, of actory material, has few seams, and iy be renewed by removing one end of e drum. It is uniformly heated by the shing of the melted metal during the complete rotation of the furnace, which so insures thorough mixing of the arge. Capacities of 250 to 3,000 Ib. are the sizes made at present. HYDRAULIC BLASTING MACHINE FOR USE IN ROCK Rock blasting with water, instead of explosives, is advocated by a European engineer, who has designed a machine for this purpose. The device consists of a cylinder, intended to be inserted in a hole drilled in the rock, and equipped with eight displacing pistons, arranged tele scopically. When the cylinder is filled with water, and the pistons forced into it, the enormous pressure created in the hole bursts the rock. The contrivance is recommended for use in mines where it Making a Pour from the Tap Hole of the Rotating Furnace Drum: The Workman in the Background is Operating the Electrical Control Switchboard 1 . is dangerous to employ explosives whic sometimes start disastrous fires. AUTOISTS KEEP FINGERS WARM WITH ELECTRICAL GLOVES Any auto driver who appears to be bound to his car by a cable from his wrists undoubtedly has on a pair of the new English electrically heated Flexible heating wires laid layers of fabric allow full use of the hands, and keep them comfortably clear to the finger tips in the coldest ot weather. They consume little current and there is no danger of overheating. glov es between the warm Gloves for Winter Driving, with Electrical Heating ires Woven into Their Fabric

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W ATER GARDENING: A NEW FLORAL INDUSTRY By JOHN N HOGG calls upon the water gardener ’ where he may look over a nut ber of sample pools, select vari ous plants, and get ideas for the type of pool best suited for hij particular requirements. The gai dener quotes approximate con-. struction prices, together with plant prices and estimates for th: completed garden, and also has photographs of previously in- stalled pools, from which the prospective purchaser is given additional ideas. From Sample Aquatic Plants, Grown in Lawn Pools, Customers Select the Varieties They Desire "THE ever-increasing popu- larity of lawn pools and water gardens has recently given rise to an entirely new branch of the floral industry: that of culti- vating aquatic plants and of in stalling such gardens under con tract. Since the inception of this industry less than two years ago some 150 varieties have been de veloped from the few suitable species then known. The rev Beds of Water Lilies, Containing Some 150 Varieties, Developed from Less Than 20 Kinds in Two Years Obviously, this type of gard ing is a highly specialized branc! of the floral industry. Hence professional water gardener able to render a service that average land cape g irc ner ¢ not vive. Incidentally, the p chaser is able to buy a bet aquatic garden, and better pl int on contract, as well as at a sai compared with the costs of p1 experimentation. Rare and Costly Aquatic Plants Keep Com- pany with Goldfish, Snails, Frogs, and Baby Turtles in These Shallow Wooden Aquaria enues of the business are derived from the sale of flowers, plants, bulbs, goldfish, tiny turtles, frogs, and other fresh-water aquarium creatures, in addition to the plan ning and construction of the gar- dens and pools. With the advent of this new in dustry the householder is no longer thrown upon his own re sources for the installation and artistic arrangement of a contem plated lawn pool. Instead, he 95) —~- Part of the Water Gardener’s Stock in Trade: Rustic Effects. Cosy Resting Places, and Scenic Bits

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POPULAR MECHANICS 253 Momentarily Expecting His Car to Tumble into the Ra- AUTO BALANCES ON EDGE OF HIGH EMBANKMENT can of milk was the instrument cho- hen the Fates decided to show a r living near Farmington, IIL, the ness of the veil that separates life death. Speeding to the creamery, the can in the tonneau of his auto le, he heard it shift, and turned to y it. In so doing, he unconsciously ed the steering wheel, and the car pt into the guard rail of a high steel lge. His foot found the brake and pped the car, but not until it had all made the fatal plunge to the creek low. It hung, in fact, suspended at the of the vertical embankment, only the » wheels on the right side holding it place. The balance was so delicate it an additional inch of forward motion ould have spelled disaster. Next morn- ¢ the farmer salvaged his property. TEA SHIPPED IN BRICK FORM TO ORIENTAL COUNTRIES Chinese exporters prepare tea in a range manner for consumption in Tibet nd some parts of Russia. Pulverized tea ives are mixed with water, and then olded into dense, hard bricks, averag- Final Position of the Automobile is Shown at the Lower Right. It will be Seen That. ted a by the Precarious Grip of the Two Wheels upon the Edge of the Embankmen 1e¢ Drop T ed the Car is Suggested by the Photograph at the Left, vine, the Owner Wedged It in Place with the Ladder Seen at the Right Disaster was Snapped from the Opposite End of the Bridge ing 5 Ib. in weight, and usually about 1 ft. long, 9 in. wide, and 1 in. thick. I: this form, the commodity can be shipped overland more economically than other- wise, as it occupies less space. The 1 betans, who are the principal users o* this variety of tea, grind pieces of the sa Brick Tea, Molded in China for Use in Tibet and Russia: The Cakes Are So Hard That an Ax Usually Is Necessary to Break Them bricks between stones, and mix the re- sultant powder with an equal quantity of soft butter, made from yaks’ milk and hot water, churned together.

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204 PRESERVATION OF RAW FRUITS GOVERNED BY RESPIRATION The respiration of animals is a well- known action, and its necessity is fully appreciated. That fruits and vegetables also breathe is not so generally under- stood: but all living cells, whether animal or vegetable, must have oxygen to keep them dio alive, and they give out carbon xide and water vapor as the product of the action of oxygen on some of the cell contents. An apple when picked from the tree is a living part of the tree, imate, aaa to live as long Respiration Chamber and Flasks for Absorbing Ex- haled Gas from Fruits, Specimens of Which are Inclosed in the Chamber in Their Natural State as it remains sound, which may be weeks and even months after it was taken from the twig on which it grew. Its respira- tion during this time is not manifested by any perceptible action as in animals, but the exhalation of water and carbon diox- ide is a well-established fact, as well as its absorption or “inhalation” of OXy- gen from the air. \fter fruit is harvested, it is in pre- cisely the same condition as hibernating animals. The bear sleeping in his winter den lives upon the fat stored in his body during the summer and fall. The appl lives upon the sugar and similar sub- stances formed in its cells while it grew upon the tree. The rate of chemical change in fruit at a given temperature is of practical interest to fruit dealers and shippers, and a simple method to deter- mine the amount of carbon dioxide ex- haled by a fixed quantity of fruit in a cer- tain length of time has been evolved. The apparatus for this purpose consists of a respiration chamber to hold the fruit. with an inlet through which purified air may enter, and an outlet connected with ap- paratus containing solutions for absorb- ing and measuring the exhaled carbon dioxide. The particular temperatures at which it’ was desired to estimate the chemical activity were those of cold storage, of a cool cellar or storehouse. > or a warm room, viz.. 33 68° to 70° F. Asa result of and of summer, to 35°, 50°. and these ex- POPULAR MECHANICS periments it was found that cranberries, in cold storage produced .0U89 per cent of their weight in carbon-dioxide gas in 24 hours, while in the cool cellar twice as much was obtained, and in the warm room four times as much. In earlier ex periments with Baldwin apples similar results were obtained, or .012 per cent 0312 per cent, and .0528 per cent, re- spectively, under corresponding - condi tions. The scientific interest of these figures lies in the progressive increase in activity with rise in temperature. The medium temperature approximately doubles the rate of the low temperature, and the high temperature doubles it again, or qu ruples the rate of the low temperatur This is strictly in accordance with th: law of acceleration of chemical action b rise in temperature, which states that, general, this activity doubles or trebk with an increase in temperature of 10° ( which is equivalent to 18° F Practically, the figures point the fact that fruit in cold storage a little abo the freezing point will remain sound four to six times as long as at sumni temperatures; but it will not keep inde nitely, because its soluble are slowly being consumed. and it mately reaches the dead-ripe stage flavorless, punky tissue even if no d cell cont organism comes in contact with it follows, also, that all kinds of fruit vegetables need ventilation during ige light packages are undesirabl in some cases paper wrappers 1 exclude the air too eff ctively. If tl were no exchange of air between the side and outside of a barrel of cranbert it would take but a few davs to ex! all the oxygen within it, and the would be as thoroughly asphyxiated animal under similar conditions. Asphys iation of fruits has been found by nun result in the of cranberries during shipment, the s of peaches and apples in cold storag even ’ ° : ous observers to softening black centers in potatoes, and doubtk similar abnormal conditions in other vegetables and fruits as vet not invest gated. In emphasizing thg importance to the United States of adequate and modern coast-defense equipment. an engineer offi cer of the service points to the desirability of disappearing searchlight towers. The fixed type is declared to offer the enemy too conspicuous a target for his long. range guns.

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MODERN FURNITURE OF PLEASING DESIGN Piece Buffets Latest Crea- n Dining Room ture Included h AssemblyAre MassiveCabinets ia Long Table. ese Units are Elab- the F tely Carved. An 5 ng Mirror, In- ed in a Simple With Two Amplify- ing Chambers, a New Phonograph Produces a Large Volume of Sound, and Is Suitable for — a Big Room, Where an Ordinary Machine Is In- adequate. In the Center Is a Commodious Record Cabinet me, and Hung be- i the Table, Adds he Beauty of the Arrangement By Reversing the Leather- Covered Seat in the Top of This Piano Bench, It can be Adjusted for Children or Adults. Music Rolls are Stored in the Compartments ieee When the Lid of a Modern Cedar Chest is Lifted, a Top Tray is Elevated, Giving Access to the Con- tents of the Lower Part. Brass Trime mings and a Lock Are Other Features Neatness of Design are Combined in a Clothes Hamper Now on the Market. The Basket can be Tir for the Insertion or val of Soiled les. A Drawer Contributes to the Usefulness of the Stand. Finished in White Enamel, the Utility Is Attractive in Any Bathroom or Nursery '

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256 POPULAR NEW TWELVE-CYLINDER ENGINE IS ITALIAN MASTERPIECE Besides being the only 12-cylinder en- gine exhibited at the recent motor salon MECHANICS EXPANDING LIQUID CONTROLS HEAT OF ELECTRIC FURNACE For regulating the temperature of elec- tric furnaces, a Frenchman has invented a governor that depends for its action on the heat expansion of a liquid. A number of platinum con- tacts, connected to the coils of a rheostat, are set in the side of a ver- tical tube, which is filled with mercury. Pressing upon the top of the mer cury is a very expansive, nonconducting liquid, which is directly affected by the heat of the fur nace. In operation, a: the furnace temperatur COPYRIGHT, INTERNATIONAL FILM SERVICE mounts above a deter New Italian 12-Cylinder Auto Engine of 120 Horsepower, Made Extremely mined mark, the liquid Compact by Arranging Its Cylinders in a “*V”’ of Only 22 Degrees > expands and forces thx in Paris, and the only one manufactured mercury level down. In so doing, it in Europe, a new automobile power plant pushes the mercury below one platinum made by a prominent Italian firm holds contact after another, and thus throws several other honors. It is declared to more and more resistance into the cir- be the smallest 120-hp. engine yet pro- cuit until the temperature rise is checked. duced, and owes its compactness to the SROs arrangement of its two cast blocks, of six evlinders each, in a “V” of only 22°, oppo- PRIMITIVE PHILIPPINE OXEN site cyliriders being offset so their con necting rods lie side by side. The cylinde: heads are detachable, with vertical valves in the heads. The carburetor is attached outside the cylinder and the exhaust is placed inside the angle of tle two cylinder blocks. housing, LOCOMOTIVE STALLS PROVIDED WITH THREE SMOKESTACKS Each engine stall in a new rail road roundhouse at Haselton, Ohio, is equipped with three stacks to carry away smoke, gas, and steam emitted by loco- motives. The pipes, which are about 5 ft. square, are connected with funnel shaped hoods that extend over the entire length of the stall. Both the hoods and the stacks are made of light lumber. A damper is installed in cach vent. Two of the dampers are operated by cords, reaching to the floor, while the third, located nearest the stall door, opens auto- matically when the latter is opened. This arrangement makes the stacks effective, regardless of the position of a locomo- tive, and provides outlets when an en- gine is entering or leaving the stall. The structure is roofed with gypsum slabs. DRAW MODERN FARM TOOLS The plodding ox as an = agricultural motor is picturesque and pastoral, but generally considered primi tive. In the Philippines, however. th: ancient and modern are being forced to meet, and now the sight of a carabao bull hitched to a new and highly efficient fart implement is by no means uncommon. exceedingly The transition from the forked-stick plow to American machinery is quite recent, hut tractors and cultivating machines a ready are widely used in the rice fields. The Modern Farm Tool is Still Drawn by the Old- ime Ox in This Transitory Period of Philippine Evolution

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POPULAR MECHANICS the Municipal Court and the Local Bridewell. Body. THREESCORE PRISONERS MAKE LOAD FOR COURT'S CARRYALL \lthough a commodious, easy-riding e, the automobile carryall recently ised by the city of Chicago is al unpopular with those it carries. It tinues to journey, nevertheless, be- n the municipal court and the local lewell, several miles away. The long rr will hold 60 in an emergency, Oo can accommodate the usual Bol- ik mass meeting in its congenial en- tirety. ARTISTIC PUMPING STATION IN WESTERN CITY Situated in a section of San Francisco, where many fine homes are being erected, n artistic wate r-pumping ed by a private corporation, does not ir the beauty of the neighborhood, as hint of its use i its exterior Surrounded by shrubbery, stution., oper- re 18 no pearance, The Photograph was Taken in This Big Carryall was Bought by the City of Chicago to Handle the Rather Heavy Passenger Traffic between Ss xty Passengers can be Loaded into the Boxlike Front of the Chicago City Hall suilding, with its Doric columns and ther simple, but taste‘ul, decorations, Oks like a li y, or other similar pub- lic bi ld ‘7 i ( mp () ual iso n ti it is | hted by sl ehts, there being » windor 1 t alls & lhe financial comp! cations of Siberi nN business are perplexing Merchants in center Romanoff Siberian one accept Ke rensky, ind rubles, American dollars, and Chinese yen, all of which fluctuate d ily. A note of any kind that is stained or torn has lost a good part of its face value. Such conditions add appreciabl to the difficulties of Red Cross relief work. Even a Careful Examination of the Exterior of the Artist Building at the Left does Not Disclose Its Purpose. It Is @ Water-Pumping Station, Situ- ated on a Boulevard in a Western City, and is Lighted Solely by Skylights. The Interior is Shown Above

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258 POPULAR HEROIC STATUE OF PIONEER BORN OF CHANCE MEETING A chance meeting between an artist and a rugged and picturesque survivor of American fron- F ro —> tier days was the inspiration for a heroic bronze statue just erect- ed on the campus of a western uni- versity. All the qualities of sturdy manhood with which racial tra dition endows the character of the pioneer are ex- pressed in the fig- ure, which is nine feet in height. es donor, a prominent attor- ney, intends that it shall serve the younger generation as a reminder of the indomitable spirit that hewed a place for them out of the wilder- ness.

ANNUNCIATOR BELL RINGS AS DOOR KNOB IS TURNED lor the front door of the home or small shop there is now made a sightly — F — combination of knol and annunciator bell, the latter being fitted to the inside of the door, With this equip- ment the kno b is made to do double duty, as it not only unlocks the door, but 1 , in so doing rings the hell. Operating me- chanically in this way, ith no dependence

on electricity, the bell needs no attention alter the day of its installation. NAVY PLANS TO BUILD GUNS BY NEW HYDRAULIC PROCESS \ cheaper and more expeditious method of building guns up to 6-in., for the U. S. Navy, is now planned, according to the recently published report of the navy’s chief of ordnance. Details are kept secret; it is known, however, that the new method, described as “radial ex- pansion by hydraulic pressure,” requires MECHANICS fewer sections for the built-up gun thau the old heat-shrinking process. The re- port states, also, that work is going for- ward on monster 16-in. rifles for six 43,000-ton dreadnaughts and six great battle cruisers. The tax-paying public should be interested to hear, too, that accumulations of ammunition, and of mines intended for the North Sea ming barrage, are so great as tO SWamp every storage depot. PADS OF WINDSHIELD CLEANER HOLD CHEMICAL MIXTURE The two arms of the automobile-wind shield cleaner illustrated dare press against the inn and outer suriac of the glass steel springs. each arm is fy a narrow felt which has impregnated vy a chemical n ture. When windshield comes wet \ rain or befogged with vapor, the arms moved across the glass. Moisture d solves the mixture which flows from tl pads and leaves a film which sheds water. One such operation is sufhc for a day of rainy driving.

WHEELLESS BABY CARRIAGES POPULAR IN INDIA \s wheeled baby carriages are « the qu stion on the stony roads of no ern India, an ingenious sub- stitute is pro- vided in the “dandy,” a sort of boxed-in chair which is borne upon the back of a urdy hillman. In journeying between isolat- ed plantations, children are sometimes car- ried from 25 to 30 miles a day by this means. The ‘ee photograph was taken at Darjeeling, in the foothills of the eastern Himalayas.

2 et a <eaabede tera aes

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POPULAR MECHANICS 259 ——$$_$_$__—__ a ea Results of Using Dynamite for Breaking Clayey Soil in Kansas: Hard “ Jugs’’ like the One Shown at the Left, are Formed by the Explosion. At the Right a “Jug” has been Cracked Open to Show How the Expanding Gases Ram the Clay Away from the Charge. The Gases Are Also Responsible for the Holes Always Found it the Top. The Experiments Demonstrate the Need of Discrimination in the Agricultural Use of Dynamite DYNAMITE FORMS LARGE “JUGS” IN HEAVY CLAY esearches conducted during the last o years at the Kansas Agricultural periment Station seem to demonstrat it dynamiting is not beneficial to every pe of local soil. Results obtained in fields of heavy clay near the station are rth particular mention, as they include positive injuries to soil and crop. The ex- erimenters find that explosion, instead of rumbling this earth, as desired, rather rams it away from the charge, forming hard-walled, subterranean cavity, or jug.” Excavation after each explosion hows that the gas impact cements the ills of: these jugs so solidly that they re impervious to water, and so cohesive hat the jug may be removed in one nece. The queer objects are often two nd three feet high, with walls from four to eight inches thick. Fruit trees planted ver the cavities are sometimes drowned by accumulating water: corn and small , rains grow poorly unless the jugs are illed with soil. On the whole, while the experiments do not disparage the agri- cultural use of dynamite, they do warn inst its indiscriminate employment in unusual soils. PHOTOGRAPHER SNAPS BALLOON IGNITED BY LIGHTNING \lthough he has above his head thou- sands of cubic feet of combustible gas mixture, the balloonist fears little. if at ill, the risk of ignition by lightning. In he entire history of aeronautics only a few disasters from such a cause have oc- curred; and of these only one is thought to have been caught by the _ photo- graphic lens. The picture is reproduced on this page, and shows a military kite Of the Relatively Few Balloons That have been Struck by Lightning, This is Believed to Be the First Snapped by the Camera as It Burned in Mid-Air balloon just after the bolt had struck. ‘The bag is collapsing as the fabric 1s consumed. @ With but little hope of success, an in- vestigator of stammering recently adver- tised for a subject whose skull had been trephined. He received a prompt reply, much to his surprise, and is now able to test the cerebral-congestion hypothesis described last August by this magazine.

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260 POPULAR RANGER’S PATIENT TOIL MAKES LONG STAIRWAY OF GREAT LOG Kind Providence it was that felled a mighty hemlock, 140 ft. long, up the steep MECHANICS ‘ONLY ONE ASYLUM FOR INSANE IN ALL CHINA Startling proof of China’s lagging re- sponse to the stimuli of western civiliza-

Tree on the Slope beside slope that separates the cabin of an Ore- gon forest ranger from his horse stable. But it was the rangers own strenuous efforts with ax and saw which slowly trans- formed the great log into a stairway of more than a hundred steps, and with guarding handrails at either side. The climb up the hill is now made easily. STEAMER REPAIRED The freight steamer “Lord Dufferin,” which was rammed in New York Harbor by the Cunard liner “Aquitania” and cut in two, was repaired in 18 days, the stern being completely replaced in that record time. The freighter had been sunk and the stern cut off about 12 ft. from the poop deck. The vessel was successfully raised, but the after portion, including rudder, stern frame, shaft, and machin- ery, was completely lost, although divers explored the harbor bed to find it. This made it necessary to fabricate the missing portion, and the vessel was put in dry dock in South Brooklyn. Three molds were taken of the sound portion of the ship, and a new design made for

Straight as an Arrow Lies tion is found in the fact that the hospital at Can- ton is the only asylum for the insane in the en- tire land of some 300 or 400 million inhabitants. National superstitic > ac counts for this de ior- able condition. Despite the teachings of mission- aries, the mass of the people still consider an insane person possessed of the devil, and hence unaffected by medical care. The unfortunat: one, if harmless, is given his freedom; if violent

the Great Hemlock he is held prisoner by 1 the {i Renene’e his family, sometimes b« Cabin. Working during Leisure ours wit x ae <2 ee 1 and Saw, He Transformed It into a Convenient !"9 chained to a stake. Stairway The superintendent oi the Canton asylum is now campaigning in this country for funds with which to establish another hospital. The parent institution holds about 600 patients. CSaccharin is a dangerous substitute for sugar, according to government chemists, who made an announcement to this ef- fect recently when it became known that the substance was being used for sweet ening food by housewives. The drug i regarded as a menace to health when used in cooking, and its indiscriminate sale is forbidden by law in most states. IN EIGHTEEN DAYS the portion to be supplied. All the needed parts were then built, and in a few days put together and made ready to be placed in position. This part of the task was a difficult one. The entire stern overhang of the vessel, from and including the transom frame, was assem bled and riveted together, and after being hoisted in place, secured by stays. The counter of the ship weighed 12 tons and the sternpost 11 tons. Meanwhile, the necessary ship fittings were completed in time to be ready when the hull had ad- vanced far enough to receive them. The feat aroused the attention of shipbuilders all over the world, because of its work- manship as well as its celerity. t ‘

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s % - a? Cutting Away the Damaged Plates of the ‘‘Lord Dufferin’s”’ Forward Part, After the Steamer had been Cut in Two by Another Ship, and the Stern Portion Lost: The Workmen are Making Ready to Install a New Stern eri. > , \ ous * Ate ‘ —~ ~¢ ‘ The New Stern Overhang, Designed and Fab- ricated in the Shipyard in a Few Days, being Hoisted into Place for Connection with the Rest of the Hull, Which, with the Exception of Plates, has been Made Ready to Receive It Final Plating of the Stern Overhang, and of the Junction Point between the Old and the New: The Counter Weighed 12 Tons and the Stern Post ll, aking a Difficult Job of As- sembling The Repaired Steamer Almost Ready to Leave the Dry Dock, after Only 18 Days of Record- Breaking Work: In This Time All the Lost Parts and Machinery of the Stern Portion were Replaced, and the Joining of the Two Parts Completed, Making the Ship as Good as New , el

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262 POPULAR MECHANICS DITCH ACROSS DESERT WATERS ROADSIDE TREES The Desert Highway, the Tiny Irrigation Ditch at the Left, and the Recently Planted Trees are Seen Above Despite its in- significant size, an irrigation ditch re- cently completed by the California highway commis- Below, at the Left, Se a Closer View of the “Littlest, Longes Ditch;” at the Right a Map of Its Course that follows th ditch, helps it pet form its function and suppli« thirsty traveler and empty aut sion is remarkable in several ways. Its first unusual char- acteristic is its great length, 42 miles. Its purpose also is peculiar, for it is de- voted to the task of making trees grow along the stretch of concrete highway that runs, straight as a ruler, south from Bakersfield into the verdureless desert. Another interesting feature is a pipe line TELESCOPING VENTILATOR ADJUSTABLE TO WINDOW \n efficient, all-metal ventilator now fills the popular demand for an appliance adjustable quickly, and without screws or Excluding Rain, Snow, and oan Drafts, the Tele- scoping Ventilator is Well Fitted for Installation in the Nursery, as Above. It is Shown in Cross Sec- tion at the Right radiators at co! venient taps along the way. The water is taken from the foothills of the Tejo: Mountains, and there is a 1,500-ft. dro; from its source to Bakersfield, so gravit can be relied upon to maintain the supp soth water and trees will be a boon the auto tourists who cross the desert in the season of torrid heat. cleats, to any window of ordinary si This variable-width feature is made po sible by the use of telescoping slats, wl serve regularly to deflect the entering ; upward and to exclude rain and snow Installation is simple. Placing the ve tilator on the sill, it is expanded to fit t window, after which the sash is lowered upon it. 1 } ne SEWER PLUGGED BY CROCODILE IN PANAMA CANAL ZONE Employes of a government slaughter house in the Canal Zone were greatly puzzled recently when a sewer leading from the plant was found to be plugged. Efforts were made to locate the obstruc tion, but none could be found, though soon after each investigation the pipe would again cease to function properly. The mystery was finally solved by one of the workmen, who placed a baited hook,

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ttached to a heavy chain, in the sewer. \ith this tackle was captured a large scodile, which had crawled into the pas- ge to feed. The reptile’s body nearly ed the drain. DIES MADE FROM REAL HIDES STAMP IMITATION LEATHER lo make imitation leather counterfeit e real article as closely as possible, the n of its surface is formed with dies le from impressions of actual hides, The a new and ingenious process. stem used is similar to electrotyping metal film deposited on the hide when stripped off is used to mak« her flat or cvlindrical impression plates. ese, pressed by power on the artificial ther, mark their exact counterpart upon Copies are thus made of any desired d of leather. ENGLAND ENTERTAINS ARABIAN WARRIOR CHIEFS England has never entertained visitors ire picturesque than the Arab chieftains » fought on the side of the allies dur- the war. A large part of their stay several weeks was spent in London, hich astonished them quite as much as heir bright robes and curving swords tonished London. The distinguished rty is shown below at Greenwich Ob- ervatory, not far from the metropolis. \ll eyes were on the “time ball,” as it is explained by the royal astronomer. Ae thedee NDERWOOD @ L Listening Raptly, NOERWO as the Royal Astronomer POPULAR MECHANICS ‘very line and pore of its surface, Explains 263 MONUMENT BUILT OVER GRAVE OF FAMOUS RACE HORSES Beneath the Maltese cross, then the em- blem of a famous American racing stable, once ran “Volante,” “Emperor of Nor- AF \ - 4 a ~* ~ a Bos PY HT, INTERNA NA This Maltese Cross, of Concrete and Six Feet Square, Stands above the Grave of Four Great Race Horses A Bronze Tablet will Eventually Display Their Names folk,” “Silver Cloud,” and “Rey el Santa \nita,” thoroughbreds all. All dead, but their memory is to live. The daughter of the dead’ owner has caused the erection over their grave of the old emblem, done now in concrete, and m« now arf&re uring six feet square. The monument will eventually be painted red and black while upon a bronze tablet will be en graved the four names-of the horses. the Operation of the Time Ball at Greenwich Observatory, Stand the Arab Sheiks, Recently the Guests of the British Nation

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264 POPULAR BROKEN HIGH-TENSION WIRE LEAVES INDELIBLE TRAIL As high tensions go nowadays, a 15,- 000-volt electric wire classes as a techni- cal trifle. But it is not to be trified with,

The Sinister Blot Apparent upon Sidewalk and Lawn Is the Burned and Pitted Trail of a Broken High-Tension Live Wire nevertheless, nor held in contempt. Ina small southern California city, a power wire of that potential was forced into contact with the lighting-service wires, at 3 o'clock one recent morning, by a falling tree limb. Instantly, in 20 homes of the vicinity, meters and wiring were burned out and conflagrations started, four of the houses being destroyed. The charged end of the broken wire left a row of inch-deep pits, half an inch across, in the cement of the sidewalk, and burned the grass away wherever it touched. The townspeople banishing all dan- gerous wires residence streets. now from are ELECTRICAL TRACK GRINDER HAS MANY NOVEL POINTS ¢ wheel adjustable to the \ grindin gle of the rail to be folding frame for the rail wheels, and pneumatic- tired wheels for use off the rails, are novel | in a new railroad track- grinding machine. The grinding wheel an- - . } ") SoTOoOUnd, a yoInts The Wheel Frame of the Electrical Track Grinder Folds Up, and the Machine Then Rests on Its Pneumatic- Tired Ground Wheels

MECHANICS is driven directly from the electric motor, and is moved along the rail by a hand- wheel, the machine itself being locked to the track. It is shifted from the track wheels to the road wheels by turning a crank, and may then be towed by a truck. HINGED SHOE REPLACES WHEEL ON NEW TROLLEY HEAD That a sliding shoe causes less wear on a trolley wire than the usual wheel, be- cause of reduced sparking and impact, the claim on which is based a new Engli icrm of trolley head for electric cars. T) shoe is pivoted to a small link in such manner that, when it is thrown from th wire, it falls out of the way, and cannot injure the cross supports. A pull on tl rope immediately restores it, t working position, and it reseated on the wire. turns, less knocking switches, lighter weight, and better co tact with and adhesion further claims. however is then easily Higher speed ’ at crossings to the wire, a1 BURN OIL TAKEN FROM WATER IN RED CROSS KITCHENS F Oil skimmed from stagnant pools o water is used as fuel by the operators « Red Cross traveling soup kitchens in R mania. of wood a1 coal, low-grade lignite briquettes, whi burn poorly, are practically the only ft to obtained in the stricken his material is soaked in oil three days, after which Due to the scarcity be country. fi yr two it burns well. INSECT AND FUNGUS KILLERS STUDIED BY EXPERTS Hoping to discover means of produc- ing cheaper and better insecticides tha are now on the market, specialist employed by the Department <¢ \griculture recently started

laboratory experiments, whicl ; will be followed by field tests of By the materials obtained in thi i way. Much attention will be 5 given to Bordeaux mixture, now rs very expensive on account of the high cost of copper, an essential ingredient. Arsenic compound will be studied systematically, : and attempts will be made to find efficient substitutes for nicotine. Several materials similar to the latter will be investigated.

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WHERE THE EARTH COLLAPSES By R. S. BOND

\ large city in the coal re- g10n of Penn- yivania is one { those unfor- tunate places constantly hreatened \ Mother l'arth. Because the underly- nthracite elds, a great on ot the is under W eak- mine tim- or, per- , lack of oper timber- causes the th to open the most expecte- moments, ) few teet » nll the pas- : es es beneath, -.. . PONE 6 a ea aap — — — A rhe Picture at the Left Shows the Third Story of a Three-Story House. The Rest of It has been Swallowe:d Up in the Collapse of the Coal Mine Underneath At the eck a house Right Is a Close-Up View of One of the Houses Wrecked by the Sudden Crumbling

d= possibly | }

in the there- nnove of the from roperty cCW- that t\ > tand- . unt mining 1 | < ) c the ( no re ‘ c c to hi ho Ne V Se - . = 1 Oo! the At the Left, the Earth has Literally Dropped Away from the House, Leaving the city the resi- Entrance Inaccessible, So That It had to be Boarded Up. The Right-Hand dents live in Picture Indicates the Effect of the Cave-In on Gardens and Out- ; , houses, Now Mere Ruins on the Brinks of Chasms constant dgan-

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266 ger of waking up some night to find their house dropping a few feet and their garden developing fissures and caves which sadly dis- arrange the vegetables. Fortunately, many of these people soon prove the truth of the old saying that “familiarity breeds contempt,” and live in a locality, which others would be a constant nightmare, vith little outward evi- of interest to dence exX- cept as from time to time a new piece of earden, sidewalk, or cellar drops, and gives reason for a nine-days’ gossip among the neigh- bors and a few columns in the daily papers. The mine companies, although not legally re- sponsible for such (damages, quite fre- quently, if not always, (lo minor repairs with- out cost to the owner. Mine cave-ins, like POPULAR The Children of These Undermined Com- munities, Inured to Danger, Find Much to Amuse Them in the Frequent Changes of Landscape. The Home of These Little Ones has Dropped into a Mine, but the Broken Sidewalk Is Furnishing Them Very Interesting Pastime MECHANICS lightning, play queer pranks. In one town, several years ago, a hotel was completely swallowed up without loss of life. Some time later, in a big city, a teamster driving over a field in a heavy truck experienced something of a shock when his horses dropped out of sight, leaving him and his truck on the of a 3-ft. hole had not been second before. are opened quently; sidewalks crack; miners’ have been known to come uy suddenly from the cel lar of an_ occupied home, preferring to leave their work by a short cut. So much annoyance and loss of property has been caused of late that a surface-improvement society has been very active in trying to bet ter these conditions. edge which there a Gsraves quite fre = &. . _ “SOUTH DAKOTA” LARGEST SHIP TO ENT ER PAPEETE HARBOR HEN the U.S. S. “South Dakota” steamed into Papeete harbor in October, last year, it was a noteworthy event to the swarthy inhabitants of Tahiti Is entered that port, it was the first American man-o land, for two reasons. Besides being the largest boat that ever f-war that had landed there for more than 20 years. The vessel has a displacement of 13,500 tons and had on board 500 men. The Yankees were accorded a very warm welcome by the: natives, who were most appreciative of t The island is the largest of the during the war. its pearl export trade. he protection given their shores by the United States navy French Society Islands in the South Pacific, and is known for

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POPULAR MECHANICS 267 pen ORIN ee A New Method of Plowing, Now Used by English Farmers: The Steam Engine Operates a Power Cap- stan, Which Draws the Implement across the Field by Means of a Steel Cable. A Pair of Engines is Required for Each Plow. These are Stationed at Opposite Ends of the Field, and Work Alternately and provided with a strong steel cable, re- volves under the boiler. Two such engines, tioned at opposite end of a field, are used “OT OP YRIGHT, UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOD SOLDIERS’ PAY IN SIBERIA IS HUGE, FIGURED IN RUBLES \t the standard rate of exchange, as existing before the war, a Russian ruble worth 51% cents in American money. he part of Siberia now occupied by erican troops, however, returned sol- ers report that the ruble is accepted value of just about % of a cent. At rate the buck private’s pay of $33 a nth is equivalent to 4,950 rubles, and in turn, if exchange returned to nor- rates, would be worth $2,549.25. The of a captain figures out at 33,000 bles, or—again at norma! rates—$1 month. ; PLOWS DRAWN BY CAPSTANS ON STEAM ENGINES English farmers plow with steam en- gines, similar to those employed in this country for hauling and operating thresh- ing machines, but equipped to serve as power capstans, not as tractors. A wind- ing drum, geared to the drivewheel shaft each plow. The latte1 drawn across the aré by means Ol the cables. the engines worl i lg alte nately, and moving t ward as the wor progresses. This idea 1 ne é elv new o = oline tractors si! equipped have been used in France f drawing plows. Coal or wood ts burn in the English engin ADJUSTABLE LATHE CENTER HAS HIGH-SPEED STEEL POINT \n adiustabl pou t 1 e ot hig ey teel is the feature of ne lathe cente r which strong clain are mad eding screw in the body adjusts the point as it becomes worn, a setscrew fi ng it in position. The point is read regrou!l d be Se of its small size Adjustable Center Point is Made of High-Speed Steel, Easily Replaced When Worn Out resistance to heat, the operation taking only a minute or two. The high-speed steel Fives great length of service at each grinding, and the worn point is easily ex- changed for a new one.

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POPULAR VALUE OF SAFETY BELT TAUGHT BY MISHAP \s two army airmen settled into their seats for a flight, not long ago, the pilot strapped himself in; the observer did not. This Mishap would have been Attended with No Casualties had Both Airmen Strapped Themselves to Their Seats. One Forgot, and was Injured Clearing the boundary of the field at a height of only 30 ft., the engine died; the plane glided to a landing, nosed into the earth, and somersaulted. Strapped securely to his seat, the pilot was safely held in his cockpit; the observer, at- tached in no way to the plane, made a short flight. unassisted, and landed on his face. The incident was far from un- usual, yet deserves the study of a pub- lic that is shortly to make the air its highway. A few precautions consistently practiced rob aviation of its dangers. FIND PREHISTORIC PIPE LINE IN AMERICAN WILDERNESS At least the beginnings of hydraulic en- gineering, as practiced in a bygone age, are revealed by the discovery, in the wilds of southern Utah, of a ‘stone water pipe of unknown length, apparently molded by ws A Protruding End of the Ancient Stone Water Pipe: The Other Objects Are for Size Comparison Pe ee 4 MECHANICS hand. The end of the pipe, protruding from a mass of rock, has a 15-in. inside diameter, and walls about 4 in. thick. Though doubtless made of plastic mate- rial, it is now solidified to rock -hard- 1ess. Attempts to sound its length were unsuccessful. After photographing it, the finders lost its location, and forest rangers are now hunting it again. SIMPLE RIG PERMITS STEAMER TO LOAD UNCRATED AUTOS As an accommodation to the many travelers who take their cars with them for touring purposes, a steamship company operating between San Francisco and. the Hawatian Islands no longer requires crat ing, but transports the automobiles just as they are driven to the dock. In conse- quence there has been devised a rig, or harness, in which the cars are transferred from dock to hold, and vice versa, It simple, but effective. Four heavy ropes from the hoisting block are made fast to is The Automobile is About to be Lifted into the Steam- er’s Hold for the Long Voyage to the Hawaiian Islands. The Simple Hoisting Harness Prevents Crushing of the Fenders the spokes of the wheels. Two stout tin bers, each parallel with and longer than the car axles, hold these ropes clear of the body, and during the passage from | dock to hold prevent cramping and crush ing of the fenders. LITTLE ELECTRIC MOTOR HAS SPLASH-PROOF HOUSING For use with house pump, washing ma- chine, cream separator, or similar appara tus, there have now been developed small direct-current electric motors of %& l and 1 hp., which, being completely inclosed by splash-proof housings, may thus be used without fear of injury from splash- ing water and accidental contact.

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POPULAR MECHANICS TEST GRAIN-DUST EXPLOSIONS IN GALLERY Above: Experimental steel Mine Gallery Used r the Grain-Dust Explo- sion Tests The explosive ver of grain ist, frequently d in these pages, g made the sub- of an interest- test recently at ‘ittsburgh, in the perimental mine gallery of the Bureau Mines. The long steel cylinder was harged with flour and starch dust, which is then exploded, while a camera man ok motion pictures, for use in a cam- Below: The Blast Starch Dust Wrecked the of That Camera Man’s Cage paign to reduce th present excess! loss from this edie | — Catise. i i¢ Dia Fig Vas grreat succt oT prov ) ol Gs hat i cVil was partial wrecked, the camera man’s glass ca smashed, and the spectators blown o The Department of Agriculture and the U. S. Grain C test. , , (orporation conducted the TURNTABLE ON TRUCK SPEEDS LUMBER TRANSPORT lor hauling led with two-wheeled lumber, terfront, a company trailers, about the crowded large a now \ electric ck with an i1n- ious towing at- chment. It takes form of a shelf | ported by a t bl ry mplovs an the whole by two. steel Supported by the Steel Arms at the Rear of This Electric Truck, the Turn- table may be Revolved to Receive a Trailer Load at Any Angle. Hold the Lumber to the Turntable Platform arms at the rear of the truck. Gre bility of operation 1s achieved in this Piled High with Lumber, a Trailer is Here About to be Chained to the Turntable for the Journey to the Box Factory as the truck backed up to a traileratanyangle. Aftet the shelf has been re- volved on its turntable to the proper position, the lumber is chained upon it and hauled away. may be loaded Chains

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CIVIC FEATURES THAT PROMOTE THE COMFORT a “a Stone Tables and Benches for Picnic Lunches in the Parks about Colo- rado Springs: They are Made from the Discarded Flagstones of Old Side- walks, and Are Safe from the Fate of the Former Wooden Ones, Which were Used by the Picnicke rs for |} Firewood ! . - 2s wR. az ae - eememammamggnes _— ae Se. = Oo SPE LRBA GEIS 00 . =—s ate : mm a ta a a —- sd - Ee Oe Ss - ngandee og b4.-:>% Sein se 2s SO ee —_ . % * . ~ * _ ee - — — + Concrete Basin for a New Public Swimming Pool, Built for Children by the City of Los Angeles: It Is Four Feet Deep at the Ends and Eight Feet in the Center, and Has Stairs at Each Corner and Constantly Chang- _ ing Water r =. ¥ NODie TIME | FRIEND ' — a ie ~~ teh b> => we — et Ey ne Bhs oo Ee? RL hee pa ent ———— An Institution of the National _ Capital, Brought . ne , , by the Increased umber The Official Electric-Light and Power Plant of a 5) ob haoarammaet Workers: ctor but TLEUSTRATING SER. of Central Kansas Is a 40 to 80-Horsepower_ Farm Tra A Lunch Wagon in Which Belted to a Generator. It was Installed in Emergency, Popular Box Lunches are Proved So Satisfactory the Village Purchased It Peddled at 20 Cents Each 270

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AND ENJOYMENT OF VISITORS AND RESIDENTS A Swimming Pooland Pavilion That Cost $25,000, in a Nebraska Town of 3,000: The | Water is Filtered, and There Is a Space Roped O§$ for the Little Bathers, anda Sand Beach. It Is | a Good Investment, for | People from Much Larger } Cities Visit It An Outdoor Roller-Skating Rink of Concrete, in a Massachusetts City Park: The Turns of the Big Oval are Banked like “hose of a Regular Race Track. The Chil- —— dren Especially Approve of This Provision or Their Pleasure Please do not pick or destroy THE WILD FLOWERS others want to see them hetuoanale ale Rand r . ‘= ms . =. . ‘ tw . . ; , I Those Who Show Their “Love ee pe es SSRs, rsa SCM Sd for Wild Flowers by Picking and Destroying Them, are Effectively Reminded, by Numerous Signs like d A “Silent Policeman” of Heavy Galvanized Iron on 1 This, in a Park cn Hudson River, ( a Concrete Base, in a British Columbia Town of 3,000 That True Regard for Nature’s |} The Sign Is of Ground Glass, Electric-Lighted at Night, Beauties Includes Consideration — \. and Is Curious for Its Admonition, “Keep to Left.” : woe Others J ~_ an re Still Uses the Old English Rule - - — —— - —— a —_——

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BOATSWAIN’S CHAIR ADAPTED FOR USE WITH AIR BRUSH For use with his standard equipment, a manufacturer of air brushes now makes

_— << — The Comfortable Boatswain’s Chair in the Center is Fitted with Full Air- Brush Equipment and a Capacious Paint Reservoir, Making Easy the Treatment of Surfaces like Those on the Left and Right a metal boatswain’s chair. Paint is con- tained in a tank below the comfortable seat, while compressed air is brought by a hose from any convenient source. A horizontal, rectangular guard below the tank serves as a foot rest, and holds the seat at a convenient distance from the wall. By the use of this chair large sur- faces difficult of access are treated quick- ly, without the necessity of expensive scaffolding. NUTRITIVE VALUES OF FOODS STUDY OF NEW COUNCIL Properties of foods of all kinds, their nutritive values, most effective combina- tions, and proper preparation, form the subject of study to which a new commit- tee of the National Research Council will devote itself. The organization of a National Institute of Nutrition is one project of the group of scientists and ex- perts appointed for the new governmental activity. Problems of infant nutrition, hospital-food standards, and conditions of producing foodstuffs will be included in the broad scope of their work. @ Hogs fed by automatic mechanical de- vices are fattened for market more rapidly than those fed by hand, according to fig- ures compiled at the University of Mis- souri, following a series of experiments. POPULAR MECHANICS ACTIVITIES OF “DOVER PATROL” OF BRITISH NAVY TOLD The remarkable activities and accom- plishments of the “Dover Patrol” section

of the British navy in the war have only re- cently been divulged. This peculiar fighting fleet was made up of 24 different types of war vessels, under the com- mand of an admiral. Its ships, against the longer- range guns of the mans, drove the enemy out of Ostend harbor, and practically out ot Zeebrugge into Brug: and then prepared to bombard the latter place (ser with 18-in. gun mounted on monitors The smaller monitors rolled so violently that one of them tilted 45 each way twice in ten seconds. The fleet also made preparations for an adventurous landing on the Belgian coast, pushing across the channel great pontoons, 560 ft. long that had been built secretly in England. TURNING LEAVES SHOW TIME IN LANTERNLIKE CLOCK The hour and minute are displayed in plain Arabic numerals by the latest freak clock from abroad. Placed within a ver tical cylinder of glass, two “clusters” of celluloid leaves take the place of hands and circular face. The 12 leaves of the upper group mark the hour; while the

STRATING SERVICE It is COPYRIGHT PRESS ti The Clock is Shown Complete at the Right. Disassembled at the Left to Show the Mechanism, and the Lower Group of Celluloid Leaves, or Cards, Which Turn to Announce the Minute lower “cluster,” of 60 leaves, displays th« appropriate minute. The springs and gears of the lanternlike timepiece are all concealed in the base.

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eer POPULAR MECHANICS 273 WINDMILL ACCESSORY USES PLANETARY GEAR The Odd Gear Arrangement is Shown at the Right Both as Used with a Windmill , and as Fitted to the Storage Tank. It is ») Seen Partly Disassembled to the Left of the 1 | Tank; Next, Completely Disassembled; and Assembled for Operation atthe Left A simple mechanism for obtaining re- ciprocating from rotary motion is now produced by a maker of pumps and wind- mills. As it contains no connecting rods, and as all moving parts are inclosed and bathed in oil, the operation is unfailing and noiseless. This freedom from vibra- tion and racket recommends it to the farmer, enabling him to install his pump in the basement or on the back porch. When operated by a_ windmill, the mechanism is equipped with an expanding brake which locks the wheel when thrown out of the wind. The mechanism is also combined with an electric motor and pump, to force water into a tank against pressure. When 100 Ib. is reached, the motor is automatically cut out, to be started again when the pressure falls to 80 pounds. TOWEL CABINET DISPENSES LONG STRIP Towels 75 ft. long are in actual use. They do not hang down the face of a skyscraper, however, as imagination might suggest, but are used with an ap- paratus of recent design, in many public washrooms. Fixed to the wall, one of these cabinets meas- ures about two feet high, two feet wide, and six inches deep, when the dooris closed. From a hori- zontal slotinthe door there al- ways hangs a loop of towel. The bulk of the long strip is held on rollers, from which it is pulled through the door as needed. The same motion retracts the soiled portion, and winds it on another set of rollers in a lower, separate compartment. Once carried into & out to be used again. Despite its length, the towel strip is laundered easily and more cheaply than individual towels. ‘7 - a this bottom compartment, the The Wall Cabinet is Seen at the Left as Used in a Public Wash- room. At the Right are Shown the Geared Rollers Which soiled portion cannot be pulled Retract the Soiled Part of the Strip as the Clean is Pulled Out Popular Mechanics features will appear in moving pictures issued by Paramount Magazine.

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SOME NOVEL AND LITTLE-KNOWN ACCESSORIES en The Little Gas Stove at the Right Is Ouly 14 Inches High, but is Made of Sheet Steel, and is Said to Cut the Gas Bill in Half. The Top Is a Hot Plate That aay! = or Fry at Any oint This Hot-Air Register Shield is Fitted with a Removable Water Pan Which Humidifies the Air. The Gutter at the Top Catches the Dust Cir- culated by the Furnaces This Kettle of Old-Fashioned Cast Iron Has a Tight-Fitting Top That Holds the Steam. Con- densing Here, the Steam Drips from the Concentric Ridges and Bastes the Meat Made in Pairs, and with a Hanger Attachment, These Newest Shoctrees Make It Easy to Keep the —- Footwear in rder The Paper House Cap and Apron at the Left Are Practical and Economical Sub- stitutes for Those of Cotton. Thrown Away When Soiled, They Never Help to Swell the Household Laundry Bill The Valve Dome, Shown Here in Exterior Viewand in Cross Section, Stops the Hissin and Spluttering o the Ordinary Steam Radiator ByPressing a Pound Print of Butter upon the Cutting Wires, It is Sliced Vertically into 22 Pieces. A Pull ae on the Iron Frame Then Divides It Horizontally into 44 Pieces a Bacon, Eggs, and Toast can be Prepared on This Electric Table Stove Simultane- ously in Five to Seven Minutes. The Aluminum Utensils Include a Four-Cup Egg Rack, a Boiling Pan, a Griddle, and a Toaster —_ — After a Stimulating “Dry . el Rub” with This Bath Brush, a the Hose is Attached tothe Tub ™ Faucet. The Water Emerges as ~~ a Spray in the Midst of the Bristles 274 ~ Per

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& RH putes INTENDED FOR THE HOME AND ITS MEMBERS — a) ‘. > <a “ — . When the Little Tube of Tooth Paste is Placed in the Handle, and the Cover is Drawn over the Brush, This Piece of Traveling Equip- ment Resembles, and is Car- ried Just like a Fountain Pen

This Attractive Parlor Lamp Becomes an Elec- trically Operated Phono- graph When the Cover at Lower Left is Removed

This Little Lamp of Blue Venetian Glass Makes a Serviceable Deodorizer for the Sick Room

Rich Gravy is being Pour- ed from the New-Fashion- ed Bowl Above. Tilted the Other Way, Lean Gravy would be Drawn from the Bottom through the Duct Seen in the Bowl

~~ By Purchasing This Stand and Cover, the Owner of an Electric Iron Provides Herself with a Curling-Iron Heater, Which is Used as Illustrated

Beads, Bone, and Ornamented Silver Are among the Mate- rials That Give Variety to This Season’s Umbrellas

The Annoyance of Bending the Back and Dirtying the Fingers to Adjust the Ordinary Radiator Knob is Obviated b This Lever-Controlle Valve Which is Turned by the Foot, as Shown

Crackers, Breakfast Foods, and Potatoes Placed in the Glass ie at the Left are Kept risp by the Absorbentin the Aluminum Cap, Seen in Cross Section Above

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276 POPULAR CHAIR SLIDES LIKE DRAWER BENEATH TABLE TOP A chair which collapses and slides like a drawer along channel bars beneath the table top is a recent invention intended By Turning the Legs to the Horizontal the Entire Chair is Collapsed, and may be Pushed like a Drawer along the Channel Bars beneath the Table Top for use with a dining-room or restaurant table. When pulled out of the gap in the flange beneath the table top the two arms of the chair are seen to be elongated and held firmly by the channel bars. The back and the two legs swing to a vertical posi- tion, bringing the seat to the horizontal, where it is held by link pieces. In an- other form of the invention, the chair is attached to the table by only one arm. SCREW HOLES OF BRASS MADE FOR ACCURATE CARPENTRY The old joke about the ready-made post holes is no longer funny, for metal “screw One of the “Screw Holes” is being Driven at the Left. Other Driving Heads and “Screw Holes” for Threads of Varying Pitch are Seen at the Right holes” are now on the market. The little cylinders are made of brass, encircled by MECHANICS three milled bands, and provided at the end of their conical heads with a center- ing stud. To receive the blows of the hammer there is used a driving head which screws into the “hole” and is re- moved when the cylinder is sunk to the proper depth. Before driving the “screw hole,” a starting or driving hole is bored in the material. DETACHABLE SPOUT INVENTED FOR SQUARE-CORNERED CANS Square-cornered tin cans containing oil or other liquids, are opened and pro- vided with pouring spouts by a device recently patented in Australia. The ap- pliance is clamped diagonally across the top of the container by manipulating a lever. This operation forces the pointed inlet of the spout through the tin at one corner of the vessel, while a sharp pin at the same time pierces a vent hole in the top at the opposite corner. Around the spout is a piece of metal, bent to conform J | Combined Opener and Spout: Above, the De- vice is Attached to a Can, While Be- low It Is Ready to be Applied ‘ ’ ; | to the shape of the can, and lined with rubber to prevent leakage. Moving the lever in the opposite direction detaches the contrivance. SUCCESSFUL ALUMINUM WELD IS INVENTOR’S CLAIM An inventor in an I!linois city, who has been working on the problem for some time and has made numerous experi- ments, now announces a_ successful method of welding aluminum. The weld is declared to be at least as strong as the original material, and produces a smooth joint. Samples of the work have with- stood many tests. The process is espe- cially suitable, it is stated, for heavy work such as automobile-part repairs, and is equally applicable to the welding of aluminum to other metals. Details of the method are not divulged. ~

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POPULAR MECHANICS 27 ~2 ODD TRANSMISSION IN TRUCK’S REAR AXLE The transmission problem of the electric vehicle is merely one of reduction from the motor to the driving providing an efficient and powerful drive with the strains well distributed. axle. This is accom- plished in a new form of electric-truck transmis- sion by a gear arrange- ment of extreme sim- plicity. It consists of a gear with 32 internal teeth, fixed to the axle, and within it a gear with 30 external teeth, held to the housing by four links that permit it to oscillate eccentrically, but not to revolve. Within this gear is an eccentric mounted on the shaft of the driv- ing motor, which is housed inside the rear axle of the truck. The gear unit also contains the differential gears. A feature of this transmis- The First Detail View at the Top Shows the Assembled Gear with the sion is that seven teeth Upper Half of the Casing Removed. The Second View Reveals the Links lly are alwawe *¢ . in- That Keep the Externa — always - mesh, os cates the Intimate Meshing of the Gears. At the Bottom Is a Cross Section of the Axle, with Motor and Gear in Place stead of the usual two, Toothed Gear from Turning. The Third Indi- HEART OF ANCIENT ELM TREE YIELDS THREE CEDAR TIMBERS Cutting down an ancient and gigantic elm tree in a Buffalo city park, a few weeks ago, workmen were astonished to find within it three large and unrotted cedar timbers. Their mystifying pres- ence was, and still is, unexplained. A plausible theory was advanced, however, which reminds that the elm, when but a sapling must have stood in the market place of the infant city. Exposed thus to the tecth of horses hitched there by farmers from the outlying countryside, it was protected by the three timbers, strapped to the trunk. As the years slid by, and nobody thought of removing the timbers, they were pressed upon and finally inclosed by the growing tree. LIGHT FRAME CHANGES BATHTUB TO BED The difficulty of finding room in the modern apartment for the overnight guest is apparently not confined to America, for a patent has been granted in England for the transformation of a bathtub into a bed. A simple frame, placed over the rim of the tub, supports a flexible netting or Resting on the Rim of the Bathtub, This Light Frame, and a Mattress Make an Emergency Bed fabric on which rests the mattress. The thing is quickly put on or removed Argentina recently made its bow as a shipbuilding nation when a merchant ves- sel was launched from a new yard not far from Buenos Aires. Popular Mechanics features will appear in moving pictures issued by Paramount Magazine.

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278 POPULAR MECHANICS FILTRATION PLANT EXPLAINED TO VISITORS BY MODEL To show visitors just how one of the great filter units is built, how it purifies the water, and how it is cleaned when This Glass-Walled Filter Cross Section, Seven Feet Wide, is Exhibited at the Minneapolis Filter Plant. The V-Shaped Trough at the Top Is Simply a Pro- vision for Overflow during Cleaning dirty, officials of the Minneapolis filter plant have placed on exhibition a full- sized model. The structure is seven feet long, and is in every way a correct, longi- tudinal cross section, except that concrete is replaced by wood. Two sheets of wire glass, 44 in. by 88 in., form the front and hold in place the filtering material, which consists of 30 in. of sand supported by 15 in. of gravel. The gravel varies in size, from the smallest to heavy 2-in. stuff, which rests between the ridge blocks. The seven 3'%4-in. cast-iron risers at the bottom were split by a hacksaw. BUILD CITY SUBWAY SYSTEM IN BED OF OLD CANAL Construction of a rapid-transit subway without tunneling operations is made pos- sible in Cincinnati, Ohio, by the exist- ence of the old Miami and Erie Canal. The waterway, disused for many years, runs along the route which the new sub- way is to follow, and a street at each side further facilitates construction work. The canal is to be drained and deepened 16 ft., and the concrete tubes of the sub- way, measuring 13 by 14% ft., will be Jaid in the trench thus made. After com- pletion they will be covered with earth and parked. The whole city project in- volves the construction of a modern sub- way system, similar to that in New York, from the business district to the city lim- its, at a cost of some six million dollars. SPICES PROVE VALUABLE AS FOOD PRESERVATIVES The widespread consumption of fruits and vegetables preserved in vinegar, mus- tard, cinnamon bark, and cloves is fore- shadowed by recent French experiments. The researches reveal that foodstuffs so treated keep much longer in the open air than foodstuffs untreated. Such bac- tericidal action of spices, heretofore valued chiefly as gastronomic ornaments, quali fies them to replace the dangerous chem ical preservatives now banned by law in many countries. Of the substances men- tioned, vinegar is found to have the strongest action, with cinnamon bark and cloves a bit weaker. Ginger, white pep- per, and Cayenne pepper are strangely in active. MAKES KNIVES SAFE FOR USERS BY RESHAPING HANDLES In the packing industry, where knife blades become covered with blood and grease, injuries caused by the hand of the worker slipping forward onto the blade were formerly quite common. Simple changes in the form of the knife 5c See THE ORDINARY KNIFE HANDLE ~ ‘ PELL SS La Knife Handles Provided in Various Ways with Guards to Prevent the User’s Hand from Slipping onto the Blade handles have now been evolved, which, it is reported, have reduced these injuries about 90 per cent. For work which does ene

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rhe RO MANTUA Rea —— | POPULAR MECHANICS 279 not require the blade to be turned edge up, the handle has a knob on the blade end, at the edge side only. If the posi- tion of the knife must be changed fre- quently, there is a knob on both sides. Other forms have either a finger hook or a loop fastened to one side of the handle, or a broad cross guard at the heel of the blade. In most of these, industry has merely borrowed and adapted designs long familiar to hunters and trappers. FIND RARE AND DEADLY SNAKE IN BUNCH OF BANANAS Patrons of a prosaic grocery store in a sedate Iowa community had an exciting taste of tropical adventure a few days igo. A bunch of bananas which had been ripening in the store for a week suddenly gave up a strange and brilliant snake, about three feet long and unpleasantly ictive. Taken in a glass-covered box to local scl 1, the reptile was identified is a bush master, most deadly of South American snakes. Its slender body is pinkish-yellow in color, with a row of large, diamond-shaped patches from head to tail, the latter being black, with stripes of pinkish-yellow. It is related to the better known fer-de-lance, but grows even larger than that six-foot carrier of swift poison. Because of local prejudice against the visitor, it was chloroformed. SQUIRREL-CAGE COUNTRY HOME BUILT FROM SINGLE TREE Those who visited the San Francisco Exposition may recall a “squirrel-cage” log cabin constructed, as , a placard announced, from a single redwood tree, 300 ft. high and 20 ft. in diameter. Aston- ished then, they would be surprised now to dis- cover the _ remarkable American curio playing the role of country home a few miles south of Se- attle, Wash. They would find that the hori- zontal section of the log incloses a spacious bed- room, while the vertical part contains a comfort- able living room. A din- ing room and kitchen have been added at the rear; but as even these MODISTES MAKE FLYING SUITS AS WOMEN TAKE UP FLYING Before the ad- -—— i vent of the lux- urious closed- cabin _ airplane, those of the fair sex who ventured aloft were forced to sit in drafty cockpits with oil- smeared controls in annoying prox- imity. They wore formless flying suits that had ap- parently been cre- ated by a maker of gunny sacks. For this reason, perhaps, few wo- men flew. In the “flying parlor cars” of today, however, protect- ed against o1l, wind, and cold, the passengers May Wear What § corrmcnr, uncenwoor « unceawooe they please. The ladies may, and no doubt will, call on their tailors for “chic” flying outfits like the one in the illustration. were made of lumber from the old forest giant, the house still maintains its original distinction of being fashioned, from top to bottom, from a single tree. Exception of course, is made of the foundation. This Country Home, Once a Feature of the San Francisco Exposition, is uilt Entirely of Lumber from One Redwood Tree

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CHILDREN’S PICTURE-STORY DEPARTMENT > i a eo figs 4 . 4 24.8 Ti ii ane “pte a COMPMOHT HETSTONE ViEw CO * ¢* ‘ The Markings of This New Addition to the Antwerp Zo- ological Gardens Are No More Peculiar Than Its Name— “The Congo Okapi Antelope.” It is Valued at $50,000, as It Is the First of Its Kind Captured |@ This Miniature Billiard Table is Built in Perfect Proportion. The Balls are Hit by Tiny Metal Cues, Operated by Rubber Bulbs Held in the Hand ae fms ‘aa “ ‘ “e ie ’ ee — ay — hora af = COPS HT TERNATIONAL PUM SER WCE “— This Belgian Lad, Here Served by the Chef of a ew York Hotel, Five Times Crossed the Atlan- tic as a Stowaway; Four COPYRIGHT, INTERNATIONAL i. Taken to London for Exhibition on the Vaudeville Stage, This Educated Monkey One Day Saw One of the Popular Motor “Scooters.” Thereafter He Refused to Perform Until His Trainer Purchased One for Him. Above He is Seen in All Times He was Sent Back. the Glory of Possession, About to Take At Last He was Adopted L* Spin along a Street near His Theater = = by an American wane J 280 ———

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OF MODERN ACTIVITIES AND INTERESTS COPVRIGHT KETSTONE ww CO ( This Surf Boat Is Just the Right Size for the Small Boy. The Gaudy Coat of Paint Covers a Foreign Wood That Is Strong ong Sn —— Rough ‘ i Usage, Yet Is LighterThan Bas Cork, So That the Boat can be Easily Carried About Orphaned in Alaska When a Baby, Reared There in a Charity School, and Now, at 15, Quartermaster of an Alaskan Power Schooner, This Young American Recently Visited the United States for the First Time As the Hand Cranks are Turned, the Star Wheel in the Rear Grips the Snow and Propels the Sled. With His Feet the Rider Guides the Third, Middle Runner, and in This Way Steers the Sled {SM BT RRR © > ( For an Afternoon of “Playing Housekeep- er’”’ Nothing Is More Satisfactory Than This Midget Vacuum Cleaner. Though There Is Really No Vacuum, Rubber- Tired Rollers Re- voive a Brush That Actually Sweeps | the Floor This Chair Makes It Easy to Please Mother by “Sitting Still,” for When the Cane Bottom Receives the Child’s Weight, a Hidden Music Box Plays Tinkling Tunes. The Little Girl in the Photograph is Winding the Box with the Key Provided

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282 POPULAR BUILD MOVIE HOUSE OF LOGS IN ARCHANGEL, RUSSIA Up in Archangel, Russia, on the edge of the arctic circle, a local amusement Zz | | —) for Want of Any Other magnate has just built a big movie theater of logs—not for any rustic effect, but be- cause they were the only available build- ing material. The inside of the new “pic- ture palace,” however, belies its crude exterior, for it is modern in every way, with lounging and refreshment rooms, and the best of electrical equipment. PORTABLE SELF-WINDING REEL FOR ELECTRICAL CLEANERS Electrically operated cleaning devices, such as vacuum sweepers and floor scrub- bers, can be employed at long dis- tances from fixed light sockets by using a contrivance recently marketed by a _ middle-western a manufacturer. The rs { ==J most important > feature of the ap- paratus is a_ self- winding reel, hold- ing 100 ft. of insu- lated cable, which is mounted on a rub- ber-tired handcart. When the free end of the cable is at- tached to a wall or ceiling socket, cur- rent is conducted to a socket on the side of the cart, designed to receive the plug on the end of a cleaning-machine cable. Wire unwound from the reel is held ele- vated by a vertical arm, fitted at its upper end with pulleys, over which the cable passes. A Primitive Log House Without but a Modern Theater Within, This Russian Movie ‘“Palace’’ was Built of Rough Material MECHANICS CONCRETE HEADGEAR PLANNED FOR SCOTTISH COAL MINE While concrete mine-shaft linings are becoming somewhat common, a_head- gear of that material, planned for a coal mine in Scotland, will be an innovation, as heretofore such structures have been erected with steel or heavy timbers. The unique building will he 126 ft. high, 41 ft. square, and will stand on a con- crete foundation 4 ft. thick. It will be strongly reinforced with steel. The shaft will be lined with concrete. This con- struction will make thi mine practically fire proof, and is expected to lower the cost of maintenance. 4 | ; j PISTON RINGS COMPRESSED BY SIMPLE TOOL The motor mechanic knows the fitting of piston rings as a rather bothersome business. The operation can be completed in 10 seconds, however, with the aid of a little compressing tool now to be had. A glance at the illustration shows that it is immedi- ately adjustable to rings of all sizes. A squeeze of the pincer handles presses the ring about the piston, which may then be pushed into the cylinder. iz : f be & RECENTLY FOUND BLACK OPAL WORLD'S BIGGEST GEM Proclaimed as. the largest uncut precious stone in the world, an enormous absolutely flawless black opal, recently discovered in this country, is now in the office of a government official in Wash- ington, D. C. The gem contains approxi- mately 21 cu. in., and weighs 2,572,332 carats. It is valued at $250,000 by the owners. In color the opal combines translucent blues and greens, with a small amount of red. The famous Viennese opal, which was without an equal until the American specimen was found, weighs 1,658,927 carats, but has a number of flaws.

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ee s Notes IMs i WI Hull Information as to where to obtain any specihed materials or parts for makin the following pages may objects described in e had, on request, ‘a4 from our Bureau of Information. —Editor. An Engine-Driven Ice-Cutting Machine By F. D. BURKE building the ice-cutting machine il- lustrated, almost any of the dimensions given can be altered to meet the require- ments of the individual builder and of the material he has on hand, or feels able to purchase. A gas engine, of 2 to 4 hp., is mounted on a heavy wooden frame, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. On the rear end of this frame is mounted a two-throw crank made up of iron pipe and pipe fittings. This crank is fitted with a pulley, ap- proximately twice the diameter of the driving pulley on the engine. After the crank is assembled, the pipe parts should be bolted or pinned in the elbows to keep them from turning. In mounting the crank in the bearings, the pulley on the crank should be lined up with the driving pulley on the engine. Two large washers on the crank are then pushed up against the bearings and held in ‘place by bolts , _— — ee 3 —_— oules cemenees elon wall ES: = ——+ + #5) through the crank tubes, as shown in Fig. 1, Two ice-cutting saws are attached to a pair of oak arms, which in turn are mounted on the crank, as shown in detail in Fig. 3. The bearings shown make it possible quickly to detach one of the saws from the middle crank and transfer it to the side crank. The arms are held in place on the crank between washers and bolts through the tubes, as shown. Each arm is provided with a weight, to increase the cutting =apDe—-— speed of the saws. The ma- chine is mount- ed on a bobsled, cross- CUTTING ||| {} ‘CuTT a4 Te, OPEN WATER Fie.4 =: METHOD OF CUTTING ae laital == Fie.) : PLAN = e~ © ¥ METHOD OF ATTAC WING ARM TO GRANK 2 METHOD OF AES aol ATTACHING SAW Fic.3: Saw MOUNTING ‘O* Fig.2: SIDE view With an Ordinary Farm Gas Engine Mounted upon It, and a Single Horse to Move It, This a echine Enables Any Farmer to Cut His Own Ice at Small Expense

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aot POPULAR in such a manner that both bobs can be turned at right angles to the frame. In using the machine, a long channel is cleared in the usual manner. The machine then cuts lengthwise along one side of this channel, as shown in Fig. 4. For crosscutting, the inside saw is re- moved from the middle crank and trans- ferred to the side crank, and the machine is then set at right angles to the cuts Alcohol Keeps Water in Compressed Air from Freezing Alcohol vapor is introduced into a com- pressed-air pipe by the device shown in the sketch, to prevent frost from accumu- lating inside the pipe when the latter is exposed to freezing temperatures. The FUNNEL 4.” pip 8 Ee ALCOHOL VALVE >a TOP PLATE. 3g 1RON GLASS TANK 145 PIPE ” 3g 1RON | | ait ‘ -PITOT TUBES —~ Moisture in Compressed Air is Prevented from Freez- ing inside the Pipe by This Device, Which Introduces Alcohol into the Line tank is made of glass, 4 in. thick, which is sufficient to stand a pressure of 15 Ib. per sq. in., or more. Bolts are used to attach the iron top and bottom. Thin gaskets render the assembly air-tight. Before the Pitot tubes are bent, deep threads are cut on the ends that are to be inserted in the air pipe, and bushings screwed on them. The tubes are then bent as indicated, cut off at the proper point, and connected with the pipe, after which the bushings are screwed down tightly. Valves are in- stalled in the tubes to shut off the air while the tank is being filled. Air forced through the alcohol in the tank collects sufficient alcohol vapor:to prevent the moisture in the air from freezing. If the device is to be used with high-pressure lines, the cylinder should be made of metal. A piece of 8-in. pipe can be util- ized for the cylinder; the top and bottom should be welded to the ends of the pipe. Wood or denatured alcohol, the latter somewhat less poisonous, can be used in the tank.—F. J. Lillis, Indianapolis, Ind. MECHANICS previously made. The bobs are now turned at right angles to the frame, and connected with a stout wooden bar. This arrangement of the bobsleds makes it pos- sible to move the machine along as the crosscutting progresses, without turning and backing for each new operation. The machine should move along at such a rate as to keep the saws at their most efficient cutting angle. Foundation Posts Prevent Rodents from Entering Granary Many bushels of grain are eaten by mice and rats every year, much of which could be saved by building the granary as shown, so that no mouse can get into it. Ordinary glazed sewer pipes are filled with concrete to form the posts, as shown at the left in the illustration, or slipped over wood posts, as in the center. The top of the pipe, or post, should be about 14 to 16 in. above the ground, Mice and rats cannot climb these posts. The building should stand alone, or at least 4 ft. from others, and should not have any projecting timbers near the ground. In case sewer pipes cannot be had, the posts can be made as at the right, with the same result. A pan is made from galvanized sheet iron, and is inverted and placed over the top of the post. To make these pans, use a square piece of the iron, cutting in from Bend to shape, each corner about 5 in. and fold over the two PAN MADE FROM A PIECE OF GALVANIZED IRON Mouse-Proof Posts, Suopecing a Granary, may be Relied Upon to Keep the Structure Free of Mice and Rats for an Indefinite Time points at each corner to hold it. The pans should be large enough to project about 6 in. from the post all around. Rodents that climb the posts are unable to enter the building, as the pan bars their way.—Chas. Albert, Chicago, II.

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How to Make Whitewash A good whitewash, which is widely used for lighthouses, is made as follows: Slack one bushel of lime in boiling water, keeping the mixture covered during this process. Then strain the lime, and add a quantity of brine, made by dissolving one peck of salt in warm water. Next, put 3 lb. of ground rice in boiling water, and cook until the mixture becomes pasty. Add this paste to the lime and brine. Other ingredients are ¥% Ib. of Spanish whiting, and 1 Ib. of clear glue, dissolved in warm water. After all these are well mixed, the whitewash should stand for a week or more, and then should be kept in a kettle, or portable furnace, as it must be heated white-hot for use.

Gauge for Composition Shingles In laying composition shingles, the eaves are usually started with a single course of wood shingles, followed by a double course of the composition shingles. The first of these is usual- ly reversed, that is, turned with the bottom edge upward, and the

<OMPOSITION SHINGLES WOOD SHINGLE ogg. le ors in n Si- FLOORING BOARD - “ tion. To make an even projection, a straight piece of flooring plank, turned with the groove toward the eave, serves a double purpose as a straightedge. The wood shingles are butted against the edge of the groove, while the-composition shingles are put to the bottom of the groove. This insures a straight line at the lower edge of the shingles, and gives the composition shingles a projection of 4% in. over the wooden ones, which forms a drip line that protects all the wood portion of the roof from * wetting ——-M. W. Lowry, Athens, Georgia.

Rigging for Grinding Plowshares In grinding plowshares at a small ma- chine shop, a swinging, counterbalanced frame is suspended from the ceiling, as shown. The frame is composed of two ordinary plow handles connected by cross- pieces which have slots, so that the POPULAR MECHANICS 285 share to be ground may be fitted in them. The handles are joined at the end farthest operator; from the a round bar which

STRAP IRON ‘ PLOWSHARE PLOW HANDLES Two Old Plow Handles, Fitted with Slotted Cross- pieces for Holding a Share to be Ground, Permit It to be Heid at any Angle projects forward from the joint is inserted in one of the holes in a suspended piece of strap iron. The bar forms a pivot, so that the whole face of the share may be subjected to grinding, whatever the angle at which it must be held.—Frank W. Roth, Neosho, Mo.

A Farm-Tank Heater A heater for preventing the contents of a water trough from freezing in cold weather is illustrated. The body of the device is a water-tight can, made of sheet iron or other similar material. This is placed in the trough, with its top a few inches above the surface of the water. A length of water pipe, admitted through a hole in the cover of the can, and ex- tending nearly to the bottom, provides draft. The flue is made from two pieces

nome sy Heater: This Simple Device will Prevent the Water from Freezing in Cold Weather. Wood or Coal may be Used as Fuel

DETAIL OF GRATE of pipe, joined with an elbow. The grate is attached to the draft pipe, and can easily be removed when it is necessary to clean the heater. Wood or coal can be used as fuel.

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286 POPULAR Doing Concrete Work in Freezing Weather The construction of a concrete dam and power house in the northern Adirondacks during the winter was attended by many . 18 FT. 1OFT. | ELBOW STEAM suppvy | a l het SECTIONAL VIEW Steam Radiator for Heating Gravel Used in Concrete: The Device Made It Possible to Mix and Pour the Material in Freezing Weather difficulties. The thermometer frequently registered as low as 35° F. below zero. Because of this, it was difficult to prevent the concrete from freezing in the molds, and to get a good bond between fresh concrete and that previously placed. The work and material were often covered with a film of ice, caused by the freezing of mist from a near-by waterfall. It was necessary to remove the ice to obtain sat- isfactory results. Gravel was obtained from a pit located near the scene of op- erations, and hauled to the mixer on narrow-gauge cars. To overcome the difficulties, a lumber platform was built near the mixer, and the steam radiator shown in the sketch laid down on it. The cars were dumped on the platform, and the gravel thor- oughly heated before it was placed in the mixer. Water used in mixing the con- crete was heated by discharging a jet of steam from a small pipe inserted in the supply tank. A small quantity of com- mon salt was added to the mixture to lower its freezing point. The surface of hardened concrete was warmed by thé ap- plication of steam before new concrete was poured on it. Stones that were im- bedded in the concrete were warmed with MECHANICS steam. Fresh concrete was prevented from freezing by covering it with tar- paulins. A space of about 1 ft. was left between the tarpaulins and the surface of the concrete, and this space was kept filled with steam. In spite of the severe weather which prevailed while the work was being done, an examination of the structures the fol- lowing spring failed to disclose any flaws “J the concrete—T. S. Burns, New York ity. Tool Cuts Out Round Wooden Plugs One day when I was in need of some short wooden plugs, ¥% in. in diameter, I made them by means of a tool formed from an old %-in., tapered drill shank. The drill had been broken, so that the shank was merely scrap metal. After an- nealing it in lime, I centered it in a lathe, and turned out the cutter illustrated, aft- erward filing the teeth on the end, and drilling a %e-in. hole for chips to escape. Wooden plugs were cut out by running this tool part way into the end of a board, and then sawing off the board at the end of the drilled portion. The plugs were thus separated from the wood around them. In this way the plugs were made quite quickly, and the method was found ‘so successful that larger tools have since been made from reamers of the type SLIGHT TAPER TO. OLO DRILL SHANK | GIVE CLEARANCE R HOLE FOR DUST uaisihia? A Tool Made from the Shank of a Broken Twist Drill Provides a Ready Means of Cutting Out Small Wooden Plugs of a Given Diameter which have a heavy band of hard steel sweated on—D. T. Draper, U. S. S “Bridgeport.” Flood Lighting for Skaters Experiments with flood lights have shown them to be more suitable for illu- minating ice-skating rinks than arc or in- candescent lamps. Their use eliminates deep shadows to a large extent, as well as reflections which are likely to blind the skaters. In one case two flood lights were employed to light a large rink. They were mounted on the roof of a near-by building and focused on the surface of the ice. One served to illuminate an area about 900 ft. long and from 75 to 150 ft. wide, while the other lighted a space 150

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'POPULAR MECHANICS by 200 ft. It was found, also, that these lights could be operated at less expense than are or incandescent. lamps.—C. L. Meller, Fargo, N. To Save Pieces of Shaving Soap Shaving-soap remnants should not be thrown away when a fresh cake is put in the mug. The pieces can be melted by placing the mug in hot water. When they have melted, the new cake sinks to the bottom, causing the softened soap to come up around the edges of the cake, -and to fill the space between it and the mug. By this means water is prevented from getting under the new cake and rendering it mushy, while all of the old soap will be used with the new supply.— W. H. Kruse, Fort Wayne, Ind. Drip Belt Prevents Chimney Leaks Nearly every roof leaks a little around the chimney, through cracks betweén the roofing and the brick. A simple way to prevent this nuisance is to place a con- crete drip belt about the chimney, as shown in the cut. The material will not exceed $2 in cost, and if applied accord- ing to directions, the leak will be per- manently stopped. First fasten the roofing well against the chimney on all sides. Then fashion a wooden form for a drip belt, as illus- trated, and place it around the chimney. It is very important that the outer edge of the belt should be lower than the inner edge. Otherwise the water will CHIMNEY ~ PreXrh , FORMS \ oe CONCRETE BELT A Concrete Belt Placed around the Chimney will, Except in Very Stormy Weather, Keep Water from Leaking through the Roof along the Chimney simply run around the belt and on down the outside of the chimney. The concrete should be reinforced with a little chicken wire, and well tamped into place so as to form a water-tight ‘ joint between it and the brick. The mixture must be quite rich—three parts of sand to one of cement is the best pro- tongs to use—Paul L. Fetherston, Ot- tawa, Tl. 287 Pipe Connections on Range Boilers When pipe connections on a range boiler are as shown on the left of the sketch, the circulation system has two disadvantages. One is the distribution of rust and sediment through the system, and the other is the difficulty of obtain- HOT-WATER 5S = PIPE CAP ON \ OUTLET -— oo) R, - COLD-WATER = SUPPLY PIPE TTT ) COLD-WATER SUPPLY PIPE ~~ WATER BACK OR HEATER) WATER BACK OR HEATER By Changing the Circulation System on a Range Boiler, the Water is Kept Free from Rust ing hot water before the total contents of the boiler have reached a high tem- perature. The circulation of sediment is due to the fact that water reaches the water back through a pipe which connects with the bottom of the boiler, where the sedi- ment has settled, and passes from the water back into the center of the boiler. This is prevented in more modern prac- tice, by making connections as shown on the right of the sketch, so that the wa- ter is supplied to the water back from the center of the boiler. Here it is free from sediment, and passes upward to the hot-water outlet. As an added precau- tion, a pipe cap is placed on the lower end of the cold-water supply pipe, with small holes drilled around the edge. From these the water flows radially in a horizontal direction, whereas by the old method it flowed downward with con- siderable force, and stirred up the sedi- ment. A drain valve fitted at the bottom of the boiler makes it a simple matter to remove sediment. When this is being done, the cold-water supply must be shut off, and the nearest hot-water spigot should be opened. This will admit air to the pipes and to the inside of the boiler, thus reducing the pressure so that the wa- ter can flow freely. The second defect is also remedied by this arrangement. The right-hand view shows how heated water can be made to pass immediately to the hot-water outlet, instead of circulating as shown on the left, and mixing again with cooler water in the boiler—James W. Cottrell, Ham- monton, N. J.

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288 Proper Care of Electric Appliances, Cords, and Connections Fully 75 per cent of all repairs made on cord-plug appliances may be avoided by observing a few simple rules. If the hints given below are heeded, one will be sur- prised to see how it cuts down repair bills, besides giving greater satisfaction. The rules are quite easy, and anybody can un- derstand them. To connect up the appliance, first turn off the current at the socket, or at the outlet or re- ceptacle where the appliance is to be used. Then de- tach the plug by pulling it apart, and screw the threaded part into the socket, after- ward inserting the prongs of the part : to which the cord is attached. If the plug is not detach- able, screw in the complete plug. Then turn on the current at socket or out let, and finally insert the connector plug into the iron or other appliance that is to be used. : To disconnect, pull out the connector plug, by its body—don’t pull it out by the cord, nor by the cord-protector spring— turn off the current, at socket or outlet; pull out the plug, if detachable, and un- screw the threaded part from the socket; then put plug together again. cedure will protect the socket. SOCKET CON NECTOR PLUG Tires Hung on Chains for Display An effective method of displaying an automobile tire, or casing, in a show win- dow is to link to- gether two tire chains and suspend them from the ceil- ing in the manner shown, forming a loop in which the tire is placed. Two or mofe tires can be supported in this way, one above the other, in the same set of chains. By a little experimenting one can find the proper sizes to give a good appearance. without letting the tires hang too low or too high. This pro- POPULAR MECHANICS Steel Wool Heats Intake Manifold for Easy Starting An automobile engine of the L-head type; with exhaust and intake manifolds all on one side, can readily be fitted with an effective manifold heater, which will preheat the mixture whenever the ex- haust manifold is hot. Obtain some steel wool from any hardware or paint-supply store, and a quantity of asbestos ribbon, such as used for covering furnace pipe. Pack the wool solidly between the two manifolds, and wrap the asbestos ribbon around both manifolds. The steel wool serves as a conductor of heat from the exhaust manifold to the intake, and the asbestos ribbon, besides holding the woo! in place, cuts off the radiation of heat to the outside air—R. L. Prindle, N. Abing- ton, Mass. Pump for Cleaning Out Holes Drilled in Rock A simple pump for removing water ground stone, and mud from holes drilled in rock can be made from a length of pipe slightly smaller in outside diameter than the holes in which it is to be used. The pipe should be long enough to reach the bottom of a fin- ished bore, and to pro- vide a handle for the operator above the surface. One end of the pipe is tapered by hammering the metal while it is hot. A steel ball, or marble, too large to pas» through the hole in the tapered end, is dropped into the pipe from the opposite end. The ball acts as a valve, and should be somewhat smaller than the inside di ameter of the pipe, so that small pieces of rock can pass between it and the in- side surface of the pipe. A small hole is drilled through the pipe, about 1 ft. from the tapered end, to receive a steel pin, which is riveted in place to prevent the ball from rolling out of the larger end of the pipe. In use, the tapered end is thrust into the drill hole, and the de- vice is moved rapidly up and down. When necessary, it is removed from the hole and emptied. This is done by inverting the pipe. If holes are cleaned frequently while being drilled, the work will progress more rapidly. and the drill is less likely to bind at the bottom of the bore.

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Learn to Read Any Scale by Tenths By H. KURTZ RANDALL NE of the most widely useful things to learn for any mechanic who does precision work, and one which compara- tively few take the trouble to master, is to read tenths of a division on a scale. (he electrical worker usually learns it, o that he can look at a voltmeter, say, vith scale marks for every volt, and “take . reading” of 37.3 volts, or 153.7 volts— where the novice, looking at the same meter, would read merely 37 or 154. The ichinist who must lay off a dimension .7 in, usually considers that he re- juires a scale graduated in hundredths; ut the electrical draftsman who can read nths may lay off the same dimension t as accurately with a tenth-inch scale the work involving much less strain on the eyes than using the finer scale. To easure a distance of 1.678 in., and be ire that it is not 1.677 or 1.679, the or- nary workman needs a micrometer. But the eye is trained to estimate tenths, hundredth-inch scale and a good mag nilying glass are all that is necessary. A little instrument made of paper, as illustrated, will be of great assistance in training the eye for this purpose. A trip of pasteboard is cut, 1 in. wide and in. long. Beginning 1% in. from the left nd, a scale of 100 parts should be laid ut and numbered, like the one here hown; or the printed scale can be cut it and pasted to the strip. On the other ide of the strip, exactly opposite the 100 mark of the scale, rule a line across the trip. Now obtain a card, about 3 by 5 in., | a different color from the 1-in. strip. \lake two slits in it, exactly as far apart is the length of the scale. Lay the nar- row strip, scale-side down, upon the card nd pass the ends through the slits. The instrument is now complete. | MARK TO BE OBSERVED 1x9" STRIP OF e SCALE PASTEBOARD Two Pieces of Cardboard Are the Only Necessary Materials for Making an Instrument to Train the Eye in Reading Tenths of Divisions on a Scale For the first lesson, set the strip so that the “10” mark just coincides with the slit in the card, as in the picture. Then turn the instrument over, right to left—not top to bottom—and observe very closely the position of the cross mark with reference to the two slits. Identify this position in the mind with .1 (one- tenth). Then shift the strip to “20” on the scale, and again note the position of the cross mark on the reverse side, re membering it as .2. Proceed in this way until familiar with the appearance of a line placed at .1, .2, or any such part, up to .9, of the distance from the left side of a space to the right side. Then test the estimating ability thus acquired, as follows: Set the cross mark at any point between the slits, at ran- dom, doing this preferably with the eyes closed. Try to estimate which tenth mark is most nearly represent- — ed by this position of the cross { mark. After a little practice, | the correct figure should be | 9 named in almost every case. ' Perfection is not to be expect- | ed: the eye training may be | 5 considered good if the nearest ” figure is named correctly in all | cases where the actual dis- | i tance, as read on the scale, is | oo within .03 of the whole. That | is, if the setting is actually .77, or 825, the eye should be able -$ to name positively the nearest tenth (.8)—but if the actual setting is .747, or .768, some | — uncertainty may be expected | as to whether the nearest | tenth is .7 or 8. It should be | 4 remarked in this connection that when the measurements | are used afterward in calcula- | ) tion, the error resulting from reading .747 as 8 instead of 7, is a very slight one, while | 5) if the actual distance is .727, | ‘s the use of .8 instead of .7 would introduce a_ considerably greater error. \fter some experience is ac- quired through these methods, it will be interesting to try setting the instrument at random, as be- fore, and estimating hundredths instead oi tenths, turning the card each time to test the accuracy of the estimate. After some practice at this, it may be possible to estimate in nearly all cases within an error of .02 of the whole distance. This means that with a steel scale grad- uated in hundredths, and a magnifying glass, one may measure the length of a piece of metal with an error of less than ———— 289

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290 POPULAR MECHANICS 0002 in—equal to what the ordinary workman does with a micrometer. For it must be understood, to grasp the im- portance of this work, that the ability of the eye to estimate decimal parts is entirely independent of the size of the whole. The length of the printed scale, for example, is 10 centimeters, but once the decimal parts are fixed in the mind, it is as easy to read hundredths of a 1-in. space (ten-thousandths of an inch) as to read hundredths of 10 cm. (milli- meters). This is, of course, limited by the fineness of the vision, or—which amounts to the same thing—by the power of the magnifier available. But the man with the tenth-reading eye has such an enormous advantage, in these days of ten-thousandth-inch dimensions, that a little practice to gain this ability in accurate scale reading is well worth while. Radiator Heater for Garage A heater that will prevent an automo- bile radiator from freezing while the ma- chine stands in a garage is shown in the drawing. The bottom of an old milk can is cut off, as indicated, and that end of the container flattened. A_ strap-iron stand supports the can, which is held in position by an iron rod that connects the upper ends of the short legs of the stand. The flattened end rests on a wire, strung between the long legs. Heat is furnished by an ordinary lamp, the chimney of which fits in a hole in the can. The lamp is placed on a shelf attached to the short legs. Cold air drawn into the mouth of HOLE FOR CHIMNEY BOTTOM CUT AWAY Made from an Old Milk Can, the Device is Used in a Garage to Prevent Freezing the can is heated by the lamp, and directed against the radiator by the can, which serves as a flue. Adjustable Milling Cutter The sketch shows, at the right, a typ of milling cutter that is especially valu SHIM Py Q@Qq cee Herons QQ Y Q’AAQA WORK PRODUCED — A Set of Two Milling Cutters, Ground to an Angle and Shimmed Apart, will Produce Finished Slots, of Variable Width able in milling slots, as it may be adjusted for width, and at the same time leaves no fin between the cutters, as is the case if two ordinary cutters are used and shimmed apart, as shown at the left. To produce the cutter described, two. or- dinary cutters of the same diameter are used, and one side of each is ground on an angle of 10° or more. They are fitted with a key to hold them in alinement, and clamped together on the spindle of the milling machine, with the proper thickness of shim between them to pro- duce the width of slot required in one cut. It is evident that no fin will be left between the cutters, on account of the slant of the opening between them. —S. B. Royal, Philadelphia, Pa. Wire Baskets Separate Chickens in Incubator Wire baskets taken from corn poppefs are used by many poultrymen to separate chickens hatched in incubators according to pedigree. The eggs are numbered to indicate the different hens from which ae

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POPULAR they came. On the eighteenth day of in- cubation they are sorted, and those bear- r the same number are placed together a basket. The baskets are tagged to their contents, and put in the ncubator. When the eggs hatch, the ickens are banded before those in dif- erent baskets are allowed to mingle.— (. Bartlett, Boulder, Colo. lentify Wells Several Hundred Feet Apart Operated by One Windmill \ western farmer has one good wind- and two wells, about 600 ft. apart. e method by which he used the one ndmill for pumping from both wells is licated in the diagram. The two trian- lar disks are connected by stout steel ;, which run through holes in a num- ‘ of posts along the route in order to nt excessive sag and consequent in on the bearings of the disks. The er themselves are made of two thick- esses of 1l-in. hard wood, with the grain ssed. The disk which does the driving located above the pump on the wind- [2 | tower, and is connected and discon- ted with the windmill shaft, at will, means of a bolt. (his method of power transmission has : iso been used in other instances for car- power from an engine, located in a p, to a water pump, located under a _WIRE [WIRE CABLES i] | T TO WINDMILL a ee en wooo / a PUMP OPERATED BY MECHANICS \j WINDMILL 700 FT. AWAY 2 ' \| \g ee N WINDMILL § Lo Lv, QS > \ SS ZA i... t a be > Nib aN SEAR OD te Pee RE Two Rotating “Triangular Disks, Connected by Two Long Stout Wires, Form a Practical Method of Power Transmission windmill some distance away. The en- gine was then used for operating the pump when the wind was not blowing. 291 Lathe Attachment for Grinding or Turning Pistons When grinding or turning down new pistons to suit gas-engine cylinders that have had to be re- bored, difficulty is often encountered because the walls of the piston are so thin that they PISTON PIN FACEPLATE -+| — In Machining a Piston in the Lathe, It Is Well to Employ a Device for Holding the Work with- out Distorting the Piston Walls spring out of round when gripped in the chuck. This may be overcome by the use of the clamping bar shown in the cut. After putting the piston in a universal chuck and facing off the lower rim, it is placed with this trued surface against the chuck and clamped there by means of the bar. This hooks over the piston pin, passes through the headstock spindle, and is se- cured in place by a nut and washer on its threaded end. Tightening the nut draws the piston firmly against the face- plate. Should grinding be necessary, a faceplate, slightly smaller in diameter than the cylinder bore, is used. This permits the grinding wheel to pass entirely across the face of the piston without striking.— M. L. Lowrey, Livermore, Calif. special Soldering-Flux Spreader A convenient sol —— ux spre: ider can be made from a 4-in. glass tube of sufficient length to reach y’ bottom of the acid bottle. One end of the tube is heated and flattened until it is nearly closed. To use the device, the flattened end is dipped in the flux bottle, and a finger placed over the other end when it is withdrawn. The acid is released when the finger is removed. A brass tube can be used instead of the glass, if the latter cannot be obtained—Fred W. Page, Winfield, Kan.

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292 POPULAR MECHANICS Serving Table Made from Bookrack A resourceful western woman saves herself many steps by using a serving An Old Bookcase was Used to Make This Convenient Three-Shelved Serving Table, Which is Mounted on Casters table made from an old bookcase that had been relegated to the attic as worthless. The case comprised three shelves, and was mounted on short wooden legs. The latter were removed, and casters sub- stituted for them, whereupon the whole was refinished. When food is ready to be served, it is set on the two top shelves, and the improvised table is wheeled into the dining room, where it is placed be- side the chair of the housewife, with its open side toward her. The bottom shelf is reserved for dishes soiled during the meal, and after it is finished, the left-overs are put on the other shelves and the con- trivance is wheeled back into the kitchen. An Electric-Lighting System for the Garage The convenience of electric lights in the garage is best appreciated by those who have had to do without them. But even if there is no commercial circuit available, any car equipped with a stor age battery can furnish plenty of light for a reasonable time. Detachable trouble lamps, while very useful, are hardly enough for the garage. A better plan is a system of overhead wiring, connected to the car battery through a removable plug. (The same socket will serve for a trouble lamp, when on the road.) With this system there is no groping about in the dark, for a switch can be provided at the door, and lights arranged in any convenient way. The plug, on a flexible cord, hangs near the car, and can be connected and re moved in an instant. The permanent wiring should conform to the usual standards for lighting cir cuits of small capacity, but must not be extensive. Wire should be rubber-coy ered, No. 14 gauge or larger, on porce lain insulators or in moldings; fuses same as used on headlight circuit in the car; all fixtures standard, except fuse blocks and lamp sockets, which will have to be of automobile type, since low-volt age lamps are hard to get in standard screw bases. Short circuits are not harmless even on 12-volt storage-battery circuits; and, besides, this same wiring can be used in case commercial current becomes available. The connection to the car can be mad through any kind of socket and remoy able plug. If the car is already fitted with a dash trouble lamp, the problem is solved. Otherwise, a socket can be fitted on the footboard, or dash, where connection is easily made to the ammeter terminal at the back of the instrument board. Unless the owner thoroughly un derstands his car wiring, a reliable electri cian or service station should be con sulted. Of course, the system must not be overloaded, or used for an unreasonable X LAMP x oH ea ee Q jO}-------- apesconece Ww socomng } 4 i >» Fus a > ° Q 53 ™~. FLE XIBLE_A ~*~). CORD A PLUG AND _ SOCKET For the Car Owner Who Drives Chiefly in the Day- time, and Whose Storage Battery Therefore Has an Excess of Capacity, a Low-Voltage Garage-Lighting System Is Entirely Practicable length of time. One or two lamps of not more than 15 ep., a droplight, and possibly a small light at the door, all fitted with suitable reflectors, are ample. ; :

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Sled Runners with Plow Attachment for Light Cars By P. P. AVERY \ traveling through deep snow with an ordinary automobile, the tendency of 1c front wheels to pack up the snow in ront of them often makes it difficult for rear wheels to get traction, without ping until the snow is thrown away Ip} | y the chains. By providing the front le with sled runners instead of with heels, this effect can be eliminated. The ners are purposely designed with a heavy steel washers, wide enough to bear against the iron strap, so that the bending stress will not have to be taken by the hickory bearing. The two runners should be tied together by a bar across the front, and should, of course, be lined up parallel with each other as is done with wheels. The flare formed on the heavy galvan- ized-iron sides of the runners acts as a small snowplow. Two iron braces should irrow surface so that they will sink be fitted across from one side of the lin- F rough soft snow, and will find or make ing to the other, as indicated in the detail rs hard snow surface near the ground. sketch. 4 the rear of the runners, sheet-iron Among the precautions to be observed : es flare out to make a path for the in constructing the outfit are these: The ir wheels on which they can get good bearing on the spindle must be a good ction. it being understood that both fit, and all the washers must be held provided with chains. = 2 a 4 >] = nia el eo | A (} { - Ga >) x BAR ) =. RAL. 7 IRON i + ee ee ee 4} eraces | Farnese | | Xe = = \ 2 = ° \ | ‘> @ 4 | : aK | | ~ B a | io A LAK: I~ GALVANIZED SHEET IRON 7 i DE VIEW | = il} L-ore TANCE ROD —" | S| ¥ 4 ; — rif oe oe ' as = = 1] | I = el - | | ——— —_ _ x — 2 | =| - 3 + 24" 4 - STEEL OR BRASS WASHERS ™ TOP ViEW NG RUNNER DETAIL | ___ FILLER WASHERS e ———— - . 4 | 7 HICKORY OR METAL ~ CASTEL 4U ATED r— HICKORY BEARING LH « F- RUNNER I Cn SECTIONAL Ew cn OF AXLE ON A-8 et rhe from runners themselves are formed heavy iron bar stock, bolted gether, and provided with a bearing at the top which fits onto the spindles, from which the front wheels of the car have been removed. This bearing can well be formed of a block of hickory with a taper hole reamed in it to take the spindle, surrounded by a heavy iron strap bolted to the body of the runner. At both inner and outer sides of the bearing should be to- The Assembly and Detail Drawings Show a Set of Runners Which can be Made from Some Pieces of Iron Bar, and Which will Make Easy Going over a Snow-Covered Road pretty tight against the shoulder by the castellated nut on the end of the spindle. Some must, of course, al lowed to permit the runner to turn for in the road. The tance rod across the front of the runners should have sufficient flexibility, or looseness at the bolts, to permit one runner to turn 1 little on the spindle without the other's doing so. A coat of paint on the iron will he Ip to prevent rust. The wheels can be replaced on the axle in a few and the runners can be stored in a small space un- til needed again. Not the least of the ad- vantages of a machine of this type is that the track which it leaves forms a path through the snow for other automobiles. I ie loosen¢ SS cf be - unevenness di . s¢ minutes, 93

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294 Removing Moisture from Air Blast Any person familiar with compressed air knows that water is always present, to a greater or less extent, in the air, and is a great nuisance, especially when the air is used to furnish blast for an oil or gas furnace. The accompanying illustration shows a device that can be made from standard fittings, and connect- ed on the line in series just ahead of the furnace. It will remove nearly all water without the use of any other trap. llowever, a common trap may be employed in addition, if desired. Using a piece of pipe, four to six times the diameter of the supply line, and 1 to 2 ft. long, attach a pipe cap or a blank flange to each end; tap out two holes in the upper cap, as shown, for inlet and outlet, and provide a drain pipe with globe valve at the lower end.—W. H. Steele, Pittsburgh, Pa. INLET Automobile Manifold Heater An intake-manifold heater for an auto- mobile engine was made by an eastern motorist from odds and ends found in the TAPPED HOLE IN EXHAUST PIPE CLIP FOR SECURINO PIPE 7} MANIFOLD *—HEATER ON INTAKE 4” COPPER TUBING OS i ORF as HOLE. 2) Intake-Manifold Heater: Csix exh ? J The Drawing Shows How CO Ler: &: a the Device is Made and SS PAY 0 Brine J Attached to an Automo- Ly Geno’. J bile Engine. The Cyl- by ih a hhh inder is Cut from a Piece Cee. ytd of Sheet Aluminum, and Med 8 8 Vener: i Bent into Shape So That Hot Gas Enters It from DEVELOPED PLAN the Exhaust indicates how Sheet alumi- garage. The illustration the device was fashioned. POPULAR MECHANICS num was used to make the cylinder that fastens over the manifold. The material was cut to conform to a paper pattern which was fitted in advance. A _ short length of copper tubing conducts heated gas from the exhaust pipe to the cylinder. ‘the tubing is held in position by a clip at- tached to the cylinder with a screw bolt. ‘The contrivance is said to lower the gaso- line consumption of the car, mileage con- sidered, and to allow the engine to be throttled to a slower speed than is possi- ble otherwise. Shoe for Lame Mule One of a team of large mules was se- verely cut by barbed wire just over the hoof of its left hind leg. As a result the foot was drawn back- ward so that it could not be set on the ground properly; the mtile had to walk on the edge ofthe toe. A blacksmith fash ioned the device shown out of a piece of ™% by 114-in. steel. It was welded to the mule’s_ shoe where the front calk would have been, and the shoe was then nailed on in the usual way. The mule now walks without difficulty, and with only the slightest trace of a limp. Removing Boiler Scale with Steam Boiler scale may be quickly removed by the use of steam. When the boiler is cool, wash the loose mud out, then put the manhole heads loosely in place, and admit sufficient steam into the boiler to heat the scale. Remove the heads, and wash out. The scale will come off in sheets as soon as the water strikes it, due to the fact that while the boiler is steaming, the hottest side of the metal is the fire side, but while cool, the fire side is the cool side—the expansion and con- traction being thus reversed, which causes the scale to come loose. Cold water also has a tendency to crack the hot scale. : Care must be taken to remove all the loose scale from the boiler, or it may either form a dangerous bank in the bot- tom of the boiler, or clog the blow-off. —Jack Solon, Natchez, Miss.

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a 4. tite POPULAR MECHANICS 295 Old Cot Made into Creeper The frame and springs of an old iron cot can be transformed into a comfortable creeper for use by automobile mechanics hile working underneath cars. After the egs are removed, a 2 by 4-in. scantling, long as the cot is wide, is screwed, or olted, under each end of the frame. oles bored near the ends of these wood- cn pieces accommodate the casters taken from the legs. A canvas cover, and a dded headrest at one end of the frame, ymplete the contrivance. Washer Cutter Made from Tubing When a small number of felt, or paper, ishers is needed, and the expense of a is not warranted, the work can be lone with the hop-made device trated, A cir- ir shoulder is it in the end of piece of hard od Around his is placed a ilar, made from short section of el tubing, Ss STEEL irpened on one ice, Another collar of the same descrip- mn and length, but smaller in diameter, fitted inside the shoulder. The material to be cut is placed on the end of a wood- block, and the cutter is then driven rough it.—Arthur A, Richardson, Quin- Mass. 1 —e 09 yi ] SHOULDER Old Man and Ratchet A compact and adaptable old man for use with a ratchet drill is shown in the cut. It is espe- cially useful as being attachable to almost any part of a machine where a_ ratchet and drill is re- quired to be used. The ratchet may be set at any point under the arm, as shown. This arm may also revolve on the old man, so that the hole may be drilled at any point with- in a circle of a radius equal to the length of the arm. The arm is also adjustable up or down, to accommodate the length of the drill. OLD MAN - SET RATCHET AT ANY POINT ON AR it ARM Co someeepenatons Hook Pulls Snow from Roof With the easily made device shown in the illustration, snow can be removed Device for Removing Snow from Roofs: As the Pole is Pulled Downward, the Boards Extend and a Large Area is Cleaned from a roof without dangerous climbing. Two boards are hinged together and fast- ened to the end of a long pole. The “hook” is pushed into the snow with the beards folded against the pole. When the contrivance is pulled downward by the operator, who stands on the ground, the boards extend, and a mass of snow is shoved in front of them. A length of rope prevents their spreading too far. Holding Rough Work in Vise Our shop had a job of planing 30 small steel blocks, about 2 in. long, and we had no jig suitable for holding them on the shaper. We could not hold “SS Re ave, more than one at a chet» a time in the vise, | as they were — forged to different — “4 Fra sizes; the vise von would tighten up LF ot on one or two, and PLAN the rest would be — loose. In order to 3 : hold several of the I blocks in the vise - co! Le at once, we placed SIDE against each one of them a %-in. cap screw, with a nut which rested against the vise jaw. Each nut was tightened until the block was held thoroughly tight, an effort being made to get each screw just as tight as the others. The vise was then tightened, clamping each block very tightly. In this way, five blocks at once were handled.— Joseph F. Convery, Worcester, Mass.

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296 POPULAR Farm Gate Works on Wheel Using a wheel taken from an old culti- vator a farmer built a gate that requires little effort to open or close. The wheel A Wheel from a Discarded Cultivator, Attached toa Farm Gate as Shown, Makes It Easy to Open and Close the Latter is mounted near the free end of the gate between two vertical scantlings, which are mortised to receive the axle. Iron straps nailed across the openings hold the axle in position, The wheel supports one end of the gate, and acts as a roller when the latter is swung on its hinges, besides pre- venting it from sagging. The improve- ment cost little, and was made with only a small amount of labor—Thomas A. Leadley, Lincoln, Neb. Leveling Work to be Drilled at an Angle When a piece of flat metal-work must be held at an angle on the drill-press table, so that an oblique hole can be drilled, it is not always an easy matter to obtain this angle accurately. A common carpenter’s ‘level, fitted with eave a steel pin as il- S"STEEL ROD lustrated, will] simplify this problem. A piece of %-in. steel rod is run through one end of the level, and pro- vided with a set- screw to tighten it in any position. The distance from the center of this pin to FLAT STEEL~ MECHANICS the farther end of the level should be some round number of inches, such as 10, 15, or 20. The lower end of the pin is filed or turned down to a fairly sharp point, which should be exactly centered. If the work is to be drilled at an angle, for instance, of 10°, and the distance from steel point to farthest end‘ of level is 20 in., the level is set as follows: From a handbook, the tangent of 10° is found to be .1763. Twenty inches multiplied by the .1763 gives 3.526 in., which is the distance the point of the pin must come below the bottom of the level. When the pin is fastened in this position, and the work clamped to the drill-press table, the level can be placed on the work, and will show immediately whether the angle at which the work is set is the correct one. If not, adjustments are readily made. Lock and Protector for Switches The electrical worker who has on his bench a row of knife switches, controlling various test circuits, may desire a sim ple method of locking these switches so that each one remains as set, open or SCREW ~ FRONT OF ee a al GUARD . “ a LOCK By Means of a Long Bar and a Cabinet-Door I ock It Is Possible to Prevent Meddlers from Inter- fering with the Row of Knife Switches, closed, until thrown by the person carry ing the key. The arrangement illustrated involves the use of a bar of hard wood, or fiber slightly longer than the length o1 the row of switches. One end of this bar is hinged on a screw so that it can be swung up to a vertical position. The other end falls into a slot provided with a small lock of the type used for cabinet doors. This lock is mounted so that the bolt projects into the hole in the long bar, thus preventing its being raised until the device is unlocked. The bar must be located so that, when Crane Noegtetet

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Pia Oy “8 POPULAR the switches are closed, it will be in con- tact, or nearly in contact, with the bars of the knife switches, to keep them from being raised. The horizontal position of the bar should be determined so that it will be equally effective in preventing the closing of any switch which is left open when the bar is locked. It is well to set up a board between the switches and the rest of the bench to serve as a cuard. Quick-Operating Jacks The most common suggestion, for jack- ing up a car in the absence of the regu lar type of ratchet or screw jack, is to obtain a fence rail. Many motorists, however, do not even understand the proper use of fence rails for this purpose. As an explanation of the use of such a piece of planking, for jacking out of holes or for tire removal, the upper sketch shows how the work is accomplished with the least manual labor. Two large stones, or chunks of wood, are used with the rail. One stone or block is placed beyond the axle; this is the fulcrum for obtain- ing the desired leverage. The second MECHANICS 297 block, or stone, is placed under the other end of the rail, after the car axle is lifted to the desired height. A modification of the idea, which is used by a busy farmer, consists in using a long beam with a block of wood nailed at one end. At the middle of the length ,USING FENCE | RAIL AND STONES | i BLOCK ert xa 2)" BEAM NAILED IN PLACE tn — es = _ Z _—_S = \ S22 , = Z - ' Gz rr & P Qu BLOCK HINGED TO BEAM As a Quick-Acting Jack, for the Motorist Not Averse to ,a Little Muscular Effort, the Simple Device in the Lower Sketch Is a Great Success of the bar is a strap hinge with a short piece of beam arranged to swing flat against the long piece. By merely push- ing the lever under the axle, and giving a direct lift on the extreme end, the hinged member is swung out, and the job is done. Portable Pot for Bearing Metal A manufacturer of machinery has found a way of saving time by converting a stationary type of electrically heated metal-melting pot into a portable, tilting outfit. The pot, which is about 10 in. high and 15 in. im diameter, is supported by means of bands on a shaft, the whole in turn being supported on a small hand-power truck. This can be taken to any part of the shop, and a considerable radius may be covered by the provision of a long, heavy, flexible cabie, ar- ranged for connection to the electric circuit at various points. Bearing metal is heat- metal from it, and lifting it over the top. The pot used is of the immersion type, the electric heater units being housed in a cylindrical seamless-steel casing which is immersed in the metal to be melted. ed in this outfit, and 1s One-Hundred-Pound Standard Bench-Type Electric Pot Used for Melting applied directly at the location where it is re- quired by simply tilting the pot. Two time-consuming features are overcome— the walking back and forth to a station- ary melting pot, and the dipping of the Bearing Metal: The User Mounted This on the Small Truck So That the Metal in the Pot could be Carried Directly to the Work The current required for a pot of this kind and size is equivalent to that re- quired for fifteen 100-watt lamps, or a 2- hp. motor.

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298 Steel Plate Protects Bank Clerk Among the devices suggested for pro- tecting bank cashiers and clerks from armed robbers is one which provides for the lowering of a bullet-proof steel plate in a counter - win - a ara. * HEAVY STEEL PLETE: POPULAR MECHANICS ‘door. | GuIDE Leatcn a ¢ SCREW EYE ~aened —— pureys 4 CORD Bank Employes are Protected from Armed Thieves by a Bullet- Proof Steel Plate That can be Lowered in a Fraction of a Second dow casing. The plate is held in its ele- vated position by two semicircular catches made of strap iron. A cord attached to these passes through holes in the counter to a point where it can be reached easily by a person behind the window. When this cord is broken, the catches release the plate, which descends by force of gravity. The contrivance prevents the thief from snatching valuable papers while the clerk gives the alarm. — Poultry Silo Made from Barrel For feeding greens to poultry in the winter, a silo made from an old barrel Greens are Fed to Poultry mi in the Winter by a Silo | Made from an Old Barrel is a practical device. A hole is cut in the side of the barrel, a few inches from the bottom, and covered with a hinged The barrel is placed on a low platform, and alternate layers of greens and straw, the latter mixed with cracked grain, are packed tightly in the vessel. A weighted lid is placed on top of these. When the door is opened, and fastened in that position, chickens can pull silage out of the hole. The contents of the barrel are forced down by the weighted lid as material is removed —G, H. Dacy, Washington, D. C. Fitting Castings to a Metal Surface with Hermaphrodite Caliper When a rough casting has to be fitted to a boiler, or other smooth metal sur- face, the ordinary way is to rub chalk on the casting, rest the caliper leg against the smooth surface, and scratch a line around the casting, far enough up on it so that, when dressed to the line, irregu- larities will have been removed. If the lower edge of the casting is quite rough, it is hard to do accurate work in this * — CASTING IRREGULAR EDGE OF CASTING \ SMOOTH METAL SURFACE An Extra Leg Attached to the Hermaphrodites Is an Aid in Fitting Castings to Machined Metal way, as the end of the caliper leg tends to follow the irregularities in the castiaz A way out of the difficulty is to attach an extra divider leg to the divider leg of the tool, providing a slot and screw tor adjustment. The leg is then adjusted so that it bears against the casting sur- face above the regular divider point, and steadies the tool so that it can be run along the work evenly, by merely seeing that both divider points are kept in con- tact with the casting. The caliper point will not be in contact, but will remain at a constant uniform short distance from it, which is to be preferred, since the sur- face of the casting. which guides the im-

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proved tool, is much more likely to be fairly straight and even, than the edge of the casting, which would have to guide the ordinary tool. it will be found advisable to have the extra point sharp enough to make a mark the chalk, as it will then be easier to tell that both points are in contact with iron, than it would be if only the ver point was sharpened. The open- ing of the calipers will be small in cases of this kind; the distance between the divider points should be rather large, for iccuracy. ——__— Hasp Screws Made Inaccessible JAMB DOOR DOOR To prevent the removal of a hasp .from a door with a screwdriver, bend the device, after it is at- tached, as_ indi- cated in the sketch. The screw heads are then in- accessible. STAPLE BENT HASP Corrugated Cardboard for Spacing Wood Paving Blocks Ordinary corrugated cardboard strips, 14%, in. wide, are being used with good results to keep wood-block pavements from bulging. Cardboard was first used POPULAR MECHANICS 299 in an effort to find something that could be used as a spacer between plain rectan gular blocks which would permit them to expand; strips of wooden lath had proved unsatisfactory in tests, as the blocks Corrugated Cardboard is Found to Be a Successful Material for Spacing Wood Paving Blocks, as It Is Sufficiently Tough and Very Elastic buckled whenever they absorbed water, owing to swelling of the wood. The board used is single-faced. It is laid across the street from curb to curb, and pitch is then squeezed into the joints to fill them to one-half their depth. Sand fills the remaining space, and the pave- ment is immediately ready for use. Ordinarily this cardboard comes in rolls, 250 ft. long and 36 in. wide, and can readily be cut into strips 144 in. wide.— George F. Paul, Chicago, Ill. Slide Rule Figures Shop Time The illustration shows a slide rule made by a shop timekeeper for the purpose of figuring quickly and accurately the num- ber of hours which should be , credited to any employe. There [ are one sliding scale and two tationary ones, all alike except that the figures on the upper scale are different from those on the lower two. These scales repre- sent hours and quarter-hours. To figure the time worked, A Slide place the mark on the center _— . , between scale, which represents the time of starting, against the mark on the lower scale corresponding to the time of stop- ping. The arrow will then point to the mark .on the upper scale which indicates the number of hours worked. For in- stance, if a man started work at 9:30 a. m., and worked till 2 p. m., the slide is placed at the point illustrated, and the arrow Rule, Which Scraps cf Cardboard, Computes Exactly the Number of H then points to 4'4 hr., which is the correct time. If time is to be counted out for a lunch hour, all that is necessary is to NUMBER OF HOURS WORKED 2 5 4 46 7 a 10 ' | oO witeiet TIME STOPPED can be Made in a Few Minutes from Starting and Stopping Time of Employe Any make the two lower scales so as to leave out the lunch period. Thus, if no time is to be counted between 12 and 1, then the figure 1 should be placed at the same mark as the figure 12, the figure 2 at the next hour mark, etec., thus shifting the remainder of the figures one hour to the left —Louis M. Case, Morrisville, Pa.

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300 POPULAR Gas Water Heater as Auxiliary to Furnace By attaching a gas water heater to the. principal radiator lines of a_ residence hot-water heating system, the latter can LINES TO PRINCIPAL RADIATORS | me } An Ordinary Gas Water Heater, Used Instead of the Boiler, Operates a Hot-Water Heating System be operated without using the boiler. The outlet pipe of the heater is connected to the radiator supply pipe at any point be- tween the boiler and the first radiator, while the heater inlet is connected to the radiator return pipe. Only the water in the lines and radiators to which they lead will be circulated by the heater. The con- tents of the boiler will remain stationary. Since the amount of water used is small, the gas consumption will not be large. This method can be used all winter, if desired, though it is especially suitable for supplying a small amount of heat during the spring and fall, on days when the weather is not cold enough to warrant a fire under the boiler. It is possible to use the heater to heat water for house- hold purposes, while it is connected with the radiator lines, but this is not advis- able, because of the dirt in the latter. Pure Aluminum Readily Worked with Carpenters’ Tools Tools suitable for working other metals are not adapted for use on pure alumi- num, as many have discovered. How- ever, excellent results can he obtained with ordinary carpenters’ tools, set and MECHANICS sharpened for use on hardwood. Planes will work satisfactorily on aluminum, provided the piece is not over 1 in. wide, The material removed resembles hard- wood shavings, and the tool leaves a bright, smooth surface. While files do not give good results, a coarse rasp is an excellent instrument for use on rounded ends, or irregularly shaped pieces. Wood chisels may be employed for making mor tises, though it is not advisable to use one over 34 in. wide. Parts that cannot be reached with a plane can be finished with a scraper, adjusted for hardwood, while fine sandpaper quickly produces a desir- able semidull finish. In some respects alu- minum is more easily worked than hard- wood (because there is no grain in the nietal), and unless the metal is impur tools retain their sharp edges as long as and sometimes longer than, when used on wood. Using Rubber Stamp on Curved Surfaces It is difficult to use an ordinary rubber stamp on a cylindrical surface becaus: the ends of the stamp will nearly alw slip and blur, or print too heavily or not heavily enough. The illustration show how a stamp may be mounted for u especially on cylindrical work, such broomsticks or round pasteboard box: A piece of sheet brass, or plated stee! is bent to cover loosely the top and sid of the stamp. The edges of the meta! are rolled back so that the fold is in lin with the face of the rubber type, o: slightly above it. The straight hand! is provided with a coil spring, which keeps the metal form down against th stamp mounting. The metal form ~ | oo htt Rem —cilllbade SHEET- METAL STAMP BEING INKED A Sheet-Metal Cover for a Rubber Stamp, Together with a Coil Spring on the Handle, Provides Means of Making Uniform Impressions on Cylindrical Surfaces grasped by the thumb and finger, while the handle engages the palm of the hand. To ink the stamp, pull back the metal form and ink as usual; to imprint upon

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POPULAR the round surface, hold the stamp by the metal form only, not touching the handle. The spring should be strong enough to insure approximately equal pressure on all parts of the stamp, thus producing an even impression—Harry E. Gifford, Medford, Mass. Engine Exhaust Provides Sand Blast The exhaust pipe of a gasoline engine, if brought out to a horizontal position, can be converted into a sand blast by inserting in it a tube that is connected with an elevated sand box. JS \RON end erage. Small pieces of angl« iron were then riveted at each t side of the joint. To use the stretcher, grip the wire between the angle sharpened point against the post, and pull. The wire is held taut with one hand while the staple is driven with the other.

irons, set the

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302 POPULAR Truck for Turning in Small Space In making small trucks to haul boxes or barrels around a factory, it is often sal BEND To \ A CLEAR WHEELS ‘ ° We 536 | WN» SG of 4 z Fd = } - “AL — j eek / om at a “ / . Ae / : a J / | | \ / pe | // | \ LINK } | | | ik i PIVOTS, | BS y PIVOTS 1S Ko” | | j | ¢ LJ I || = wal tae SSS S 'S, rs: ‘Ss The Use of Two Pivoted Axles on a Hand Truck Gives It a Short Turning Radius, at the Sacrifice of Some Stability important that the truck should be able to turn sharp corners. For this purpose, both the axles may be pivoted, and con- nected by a single diagonal link, as shown. Of the two methods illustrated, the one at the left gives the shortest turning radius, but has the disadvantage of placing a heavy strain on the joint be- tween the tongue and the front axle, which must therefore be well braced if this method is used. The truck frame must also be designed for this kind of support. The construction at the right does not give as short a turning radius, but it makes a more In either case, near the solid truck. the load must be placed center, as there are only two points of support; at both these pivot points the bolts must have nuts screwed up tight enough to prevent tilting when the load is a little unbalanced.—Harold E. Benson, Boulder, Colo. Exhaust Gas Heats Mill Hot exhaust gases expelled by a gas- oline engine are utilized to heat a flour mill in a northern state. An old steam boiler is mounted vertically on a con- crete foundation in the basement of the building, with its upper end a few inches below the floor above. Surri sunding the boiler is a concrete wall, reaching from the foundation to the underside of the floor boards. Directly over the boiler is a register. The exhaust pipe enters near the bottom of the boiler. The hot gases circulate around the flues, and eventually MECHANICS leave, when cooled, through an outlet pipe, located in the bottom opposite the inlet. The air admitted by holes in the foun- dation passes through the flues, in which it is heated, and flows into the mill through the register. A cut-out in the exhaust pipe makes it possible to divert the gases from the boiler in weather.—Paul L. Fetherston, W isconsin. warm Milton, Sanitary Waxed-Paper Bread Board Cut 50 sheets of waxed paper, of the same width and a little longer than the bread board. Draw them over the ends and tack securely, smoothing out all wrinkles and pulling the sheets till they are stretched tightly. When ready to make bread, tear off the last sheet used, and the board is clean and free of dust. When the last sheet is removed, the short tacks can be pulled out and an- other lot of sheets put on. The time saved in washing and scraping the board is worth the cost of the paper and the trouble of tacking it on.—H. F. Grin- stead, Columbia, Mo. Silencer for a Noisy Waste Pipe The waste pipe from a kitchen sink may make a persistently disagreeable noise when the stream of water running into it is small enough to be broken up, or —waseen to fall in drops eg = | | from the center of the strainer. A particularly annoying case of |%*} this kind was ef- i fectively cured in the manner shown in the accompany- ing sketch. A stiff Sis wire, with a small washer riveted on one end to form a nw head, was cut to a length which would reach from the center of the strainer to a point a little below the water level in the trap. The wire was then let STRAINER H j ee Ss se | | down through the central hole in the strainer, and allowed to remain there, hanging by the head. Water, which otherwise would drip from the strainer and resound in the pipe, will run down the wire silently into the trap.—Charles F. Merrill, Hopedale, Mass.

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age 2 ee TAT i pee tt of ih pa i : er at a Fae Information as to where to obtain any specified materials or parts for making objects described in }}j the following pages may be had, on from our Bureau of Information.—Editor. request, An Illuminated Thermometer Case By W. J. A GREAT convenience on cold nights is a thermometer which can be read in the dark without holding a lamp to it. The photograph shows how an ordinary thermometer, having a frosted-glass face, was mounted in a box together with a com- mon flashlight battery and bulb, so that pressure on the button below the ther- mometer illuminates the whole instru- ment. The light shines unobstructed through the glass face, except where the mercury column and the markings appear dark against the light background. The completed box is 1154 in. high, 344% in. wide, and 3% in. deep. The door, which covers most of the front side of the box, is hinged, so that it can be opened to re- new the _bat- tery or bulb. A slot, about 534 by 1% in, is cut in it, and the glass ther- mometer is mounted in this slot, being fastened to the rear of the door. The exact size of the slot will, of course, vary as it should be made to fit the thermome- ter. A small piece below the door is fastened permanently to the rest of the box, and a small push button is then mounted in it, being placed in the center directly under the thermometer. Against the back of the box is a porce- lain miniature lamp base, and around it is placed a reflector made by cutting a piece of tin from a can, and bending up the piece, as shown in the photo at the left. The reflector may be held on by inserting the bulb in a hole bored through the tin before screwing the bulb into the In the Center is Shown the Thermometer Case as Mounted, and at the Right and Left the Internal Construction and the Wiring McGUFFAGE socket. Underneath is placed a three-cell flat-type flashlight battery, and two small strips of spring brass are fastened with screws to the sides of the box, so that they make contact with the two springs on the battery. It will be found most conven- ient to fasten these contact springs to the sides of the box before the latter is as- sembled. The bulb used is, of course, one designed for a 3-cell battery, or for about 4% volts. The push button, the brass springs, and the lamp are all connected in series. Proper care should be taken that good contact is made at all points, as this is very neces- sary in all low- voltage wiring. After the box is assem- bled and sand- papered out- side, it should be given sev- eral coats of dark brown, weatherproof paint. The door should be provided with a small hook, or hasp, to keep it closed. A good place to install the thermometer is just outside the door on a porch. If desired, the in- strument can be set outside a window with the button placed inside the window, and wired to the wall. In this way it would be unnecessary to leave the room to obtain the outside temperature. MATERIAL REQUIRED 4 2 pieces, 11% by 2% in., for sides 2 pieces, 2% by 2% in., for ends 1 piece, 11% by 3% in., for back 1 piece, 8% by 5% in., for d 1 piece, 2 by 3% in., below do 1 piece, 1 by 31% in., above door. All % in. thick The instrument should be placed in a sheltered position, and so protected that rain cannot enter the box.

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304 POPULAR Kitchen Cabinet Made from Old Sewing Machine By adding a few inexpensive items to an old sewing machine, which had been stripped of its mechanism, a_ business woman, who keeps house in a single room, provided herself with a compact Converting an Old Sewing Machine into the Kitchen Cabinet Pictured Here Requires Very Little Material or Labor and convenient kitchen cabinet. The top was covered with a sheet of asbestos, to the underside of which was glued a piece of muslin of the same size, so as to prevent the asbestos from breaking. On this fireproof material, a two-burner gas plate was installed. Small cooking and eating utensils are kept in_ the drawers, while larger articles, such as skillets, pots, and pans, are hung on hooks underneath the top. Near the bot- tom, two slats that rest on the iron frame support a large tin bread bux, in which are stored groceries and other suppties, Denim curtains, strung on a wire, make it possible to cover the lower part of the cabinet and the articles it contains. When Patterns are Made Too Thin Patterns for ornamental iron, stove plates, and other similar castings, can be iicreased in thickness, if made too thin, by an extremely simple process. A coat of shellac varnish is spread on the back of oe MECHANICS the pattern, and a piece of muslin or cheesecloth, cut to the proper size, is then laid on the _ shellacked surface, and pressed into all the inequalities. When the varnish has dried, another piece of cloth is applied in the same manner. This operation is repeated until the pattern has been made as thick as desired, when the superfluous cloth is trimmed off, and the pattern coated with beeswax. Removing Particles from the Eye In removing a small particle of steel from the eye, when the magnet has failed, a draftsman’s pen is an excellent instru ment to try. The pen should be perfect! clean, as should everything else us: about the eye, and should be used only by a person whose hands are not affected by nervousness. The points can be brough together either by turning the adjustins screw, or by squeezing the blades with th fingers. The attempt should, of cours: never be made if it is possible to sum mon a physician—Conley W. Richard- son, Volney, Va. File Skates Both at Once In sharpening skates, it is important that the file be held at right angles to the runners. This is difficult when 4a single skate is held in a vise in the usual way, but easy when the method show: Four block in the drawing is employed. i a Better Results are Obtained When Skates are Sharp- ened by This Method. Two Runners can be Filed at One Time in an Accurate Manner of wood are nailed to a bench, or other surface, so that a pair of skates can be fastened to them, runners up, by means of the heel and toe clamps. Both runners can then be filed at one time, and it is almost impossible to round the edges, as often happens when a vise is used. The runners should be parallel, and on ex- actly the same level.

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POPULAR MECHANICS Swing Built in House Door Two inexpensive devices, which can be sed for installing a children’s swing in a house doorway, are shown in the illus- tration. Both are made from iron pipe ind fittings, and can be put in place in a few seconds, or removed as quickly, with- out marring the finish of the door casing. ln the lower right-hand corner of the ketch is shown a horizontal bar, in- tended to be placed near the top of a oorway. The material required for this ir includes two flanges, a long left and vht-thread coupling, two lengths of e, and two iron rings. These parts assembled by screwing the pipes into e coupling, and placing the flanges on e opposite ends of the pipes. The rings slipped on the latter before the flanges attached. Sheet rubber is glued to e flanges. When the coupling is turned, the bar is extended, and the flanges ressed against the jambs of the doorway, lding the bar securely in position. The ing ropes are tied to the rings. On the ft is shown a horizontal bar, supported two uprights. A detailed drawing of upper ends of the latter can be seen in ) RUBBER GLUED ° 7 FLAP E ~ oh - uly i WT j > $ NIPPLE ‘te | +" ? 1D RIGHT 1 | ) PLING “U_ i ae 1” PiF E | § a was i ] _—o o | atte | | | } / M | 1 PIPE / | i me > | | pe a i] ae ween i iN | y i ? | . | ! r ‘| | i | ij fc j — DOOR FRANE— j y } / l | i s& 7} iV J r Support a Children’s Swing in a Door- = he Installed in a Few Seconds, i will Not injure une Pinish of the Door Casing 1 | I corner. If desired, placed below the horizontal bar. Thi though more compli- preterred as being safer. the upper 1 land couplings can be es which hold the lorm of the swing, cated, is to be @A dishpan, filled with water and left ‘tanding in a recently painted room, will lessen the disagreeable odor. 305 How to Make an Enlarging Camera The problem of an enlarging camera need not long perplex the ingenious amateur. First, make a box, 8 by 10 by 30 in., from boards, 4 in. thick. Line the doors with felt, or place strips of tin to cut off the light, and paint the inside of the PRINTING PAPER HINGED DOOR INSIDE OF CAMERA ___ PAINTED BLACK XS NEGATIVE HINGED DOOR ~ HOLDER A Simple Enlarging Frame Produces Good Enlarge- ments from Small Negatives at Little Cost box a dead black. The box has a lens mounted in a board, as shown. The frame of the lens board fits nicely inside the box, and can be moved back and forth, thereby making it possible to focus the image on a ground glass. A common camera lens is used. An auxiliary copying lens can be used with the camera lens for better results, but it is not necessary. The hole for the negative is 4+ by 5 in., and 1 fitted with two glasses between which the negative is placed. The buttons serve to : 7 hold the glasses in piace. lo enlarge from negatives smaller than 4 by 5 in cover the rest of the opening with a mask of the desired size, cut from thin similar 1 in the printing vrement mallet paper. Use frame w 1 making enlar het by 10 in., than 8 but these masks mu be made from cardboard, otherwise they will not hold the printing paper in place. he printing frame is on a hinged door a | Cissue paper stretched across the opening can be used for focusing, in place of th more expensive ground gl To make an enlargement, put t] 9 tive in place, open the back, or print! frame, insertthe ground glass, tl en the side door, and after tl { 1 cloth over the head, move the lens board back and forth until the image on | elass is of the desired size ane Then close the side door and Oo into the dark room, where the enlargin per is put in the frame. To make the ex indo posure, place the camera near a w not reached by direct sunlight, negative end to the light. with the

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306 POPULAR MECHANICS Sanitary Feed Trough for Poultry When not in use, the teeding trough shown im the picture can be turned upside down, in which position it dries without collecting dirt. Scraps of lumber are suit- able for making the trough. The catch may be fashioned from a piece of iron strap taken from a packing case or dry- Wy . \ WNL aT , \n ANd iy ity Wily , 4 Poultry-Feeding Trough That can be Turned Upside Down When It is Not Filled goods box. A slight pressure with the foot releases the catch, and the trough automatically falls into position for re- ceiving feed.—E. O. Tetzlaff, Chicago, IIL. Lamps Keep Flowers from Freezing Flowers and plants are protected from frost by the device shown in the sketch, which consists of a cardboard cover for Inclosing the Flowers in a Compartment Heated by Electric Lights Keeps em from Freezing a flower stand, fastened together with wire staples, and provided with holes along the ridge, to admit the wires that furnish current for the two electric light bulbs. The heat generated by the latter is suf- ficient to keep the temperature under the cover above the freezing point, even in the coldest weather.—Dale R. Van Horn, Lincoln, Neb. Electric Bell Gives Alarm When Baby Becomes Restless A mother, who lets her baby take the fresh air in its carriage on the front porch while she works inside the house, need have no fear of the baby’s crying itself sick, if a signal is arranged which will ring a bell inside the house whenever the child becomes restless. Such a contrivance may consist of two terminals clamped onto the springs of the carriage in some such manner as shown in the illustration. The coil spring should be light enough so that it has no stiffening effect on the springs of the car- riage, and its height should be made such that when the carriage is at rest, the two contact points will not touch. == = lo the lower Athen , ( spring ts at- PA CNEGATIVE WIRE tached a_ block, ~ SpRINe by means of two CLAMP spring clamps POSITIVE WIRE y hr below it. To its Sree upper face is fastened securely \ f with staples the _N's light coil spring, Va 4 I 24 i147 2 which is con- nected to one side of the electrical circuit. The upper end of this coil spring may have a washer soldered to it, and makes contact, when the carriage is sprung up and down, with a tack driven into the clothespin which is clamped to the upper side of the carriage spring. This tack is connected to the other side of the circuit. The circuit consists merely of two wires, leading to a battery in series with a bell. If the house is provided with an electric doorbell, wired in such a way that the conductors leading to the push button can be readily got at, it will be sufficient to connect the wires from the baby carriage in parallel with the door- bell push button. A ring, due to the motion of the baby carriage, can then be readily distinguished from an ordinary ring on the doorbell, by the fact that it will be intermittent, with the interval between the successive rings more or less regular, as the carriage bownces.—J. J. Ginsberg, Washington, D. C. eae

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"T°HE biplane glider is the simplest and least expensive of motorless airplanes. Mounted on skis, it provides the means for an exhilarating winter sport called ki gliding.” ‘The glider here deseribed, which need not cost more than $25 to build, has a 20-ft. span of upper and lower wing; chord of 4 ft.3; gap, 4 ft.; area, 152 sq. ft.; and weight, not over 80 } in., at a point 18 in. from the leading as shown in Fig. 1. The ribs ar fastened to the wing beams as shown in Fig. 4. The front end of each rib is forced tightly into a short length of steel ubing, one end of which is flattened and drilled to take a small wood screw, as hown. The attachment to the rear beam by means of a narrow strap of light- rauge tin. The rear end of each rib is notched and reinforced with tin to take the wire trailing edge, which is fastened 1 1 edge, to each rib with small wire staples, as shown. For covering the wings, unbleached cotton sheeting is used. This is sewed to the wire trailing edge, stretched over the ribs, and tacked to the underside of the Narrow strips of cotton tape ilong the top of the ribs, front beam. are stretched

¢ as shown in Fig. 1, and tacked. The wings, when covered, should be given a coat of thin, hot glue, in which 1 or 2 oz. of alum have been dissolved. This will serve to shrink the fabric and make it air-tight. The upper and lower wings are tied together by 12 struts of the shape and dimensions given in Fig. 3; both ends of each strut have a strip of light-gauge tin wrapped around them for reinforcement. The struts are fastened to the wing frames by a one-piece fitting, shown in the upper detail of Fig. 5, and braced with No. 16 gauge music wire. Each wire is provided with a spoke-type of turnbuckle, shown in Figs. 3 and 4, for making adjustments. All turnbuckles should be riveted to the lower-wing fit- tings, the other end of the wires being attached, by twisting, to the upper-wing fittings, as suggested in Fig. 3. Outriggers and Tail Plane The outriggers that carry the planes may be made of spruce or bat and are of the dimensions given in Fig. 1. | hey are bolted to the four center-section struts, and braced with No. 16 gauge music wire, as shown in Fig. 1. The stab- ilizer is a rectangular plane made up of 14-in. square material, and fastened to the outriggers by four %-in. bolts. 7 construction of the vertical fin for dire: tail mboo, tional stability is the same as for th stabilizer; it 1s fastened to the stabilizer by means of four sheet-metal straps, shown. The tail planes are covered and ited in the same manner as the wings Ski Rigging The ski rigging or “landing gear,” shown Fig. 6, is built on two ash skis, the front ends of which are steamed, or boiled, nd slightly bent upward for a distance of 8 or 10 in. Each ski is connected to the lower wing beams by four struts, attached by the metal fittings shown. The length and location of the ski-

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310 struts is shown in the side view. These are braced with music wire, as shown in Fig. 1, using straps like the one shown in Fig. 4 for attaching the wires. Truing Up The finished glider should be set up with the skis resting on a perfectly level floor. The height of the front beam of the lower wing from the floor should be the same at all six points where the struts occur. This can be accomplished by adjusting the front landing and flying wires. The rear beam should be just 2 in: lower than the front; this can be adjusted by means of the rear landing and flying wires. Plumb bobs should be attached to the front beam of the upper wing, in line with each of the front struts. The upper front beam should then be brought in line with the lower front one, by adjusting the incidence wires. Testing The first trials of the glider should be made on a gentle slope. The rider stands POPULAR MECHANICS upright on the skis, in the open space in the center of the lower wing, about 18 in. back from the end beam. Grasping the front struts of the center section, he starts the glider down the slope. When halfway down, if a good speed has been attained, the weight of the body should be thrown back slightly, and the glider will be lifted off into the air. The bal ance can be maintained while in the air by shifting the weight from one foot to the other, and by swinging the body for- ward or backward. The first trials must be made in calm weather; when good control has been secured, subsequent flights should be made directly into the wind, in order to get any considerable distance into the air. The young flier must be urged, above all, to put safety be fore speed, at least until he has learned to balance the glider against gusts of wind, by throwing his weight to right or to left. Other secrets will come by prac tice in handling the glider. 4 pieces of spruce, % by 1% in. or 8 pieces of spruce, % by 1% in, % by 1 % by by 11 ft. Inter-plane struts, by 48 in. Compression members, 40 in. 12 pieces of spruce, 12 pieces of spruce, Wing beams, by 20 ft ‘ { % by Ribs, 41 pieces of spruce, % by % by 48 in Outriggers, 2 pieces of spruce, % by % in. by 3 ft. | Tail pl: ane, 8 pieces of spruce, % by % in. by | 6 ft. : Landing gear, 8 pieces of spruce, % by 1 by 36 in } (Note: If spruce is not obtainable, bamboo | for the other parts where spruce is specified.) MATERIAL REQUIRED Skis, 2 pieces of ash, % by 4 in. by 9 ft. 2 sq. ft. of light-gauge tin. 5 sq. ft. of No. 20 gauge cold-rolled sheet metal } Ib. of No. 16 gauge music wire. 60 stove bolts, %s by 1% in., fitted with nuts and washers (0) heavy bicycle spokes, for turnbuckles. 10 ft. of “%-in. round steel rod for U-boats 24 cotter pins, % by 1 in., for attaching struts to wing fttings. 5 ft. of “e-in. O. D. copper tubing for ferrules 1round loops in music wire 14 yd. 60-in. width, unbleached cotton sheeting, for covering surfaces may be used for the outriggers, and white pine Making Rope at Home With the aid of an ordinary hand drill, serviceable rope up to % in. in diameter may be easily made of binder twine. To make a %-in. rope, first cut four lengths of twine, one-fourth longer than HAND DRILL — TWINE BEING TWISTED ™. , . BENT NAIL —” COMPLETED ROPE Stout Ropes in Short Lengths can be Made from wine, by the Use of a Hand Drill the length of rope wanted. After fasten- ing one end, pull the four strands out tight, tie the other end into a knot, and hook it into a hook made by placing a small nail in the jaws of the drill, and bending it. The strands are then twisted under a stiff pull, until the cord begins to kink, care being taken to keep the strands tight. Remove the hook with the strand still on, place under a weight to prevent untwisting, and make two more strands in the same way. The three strands are now taken up to- gether, and all hooked on to one hook in the drill. The handle of the drill is turned in the opposite direction until the cords are well twisted. Upon removing from the hook, it will be found that they stay twisted, as in any rope. The tighter the strands are twisted at first, the more com- pact and the stronger the rope will be. In the same way, the writer has made serviceable cord from-cottonm string, and even fishing line, using linen or silk, then waxing. and

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POPULAR “Solid” Bicycle Tires Old bicycle tires can be rendered punc- ture-proof by an extremely simple and in- expensive treatment. Scrap rubber of al- most any description is cut into small pieces, none larger than ¥% in. square. A slit, about 4 in. long, is made in the tire on the side which fits on the rim, and while this is held open by a short length of stiff wire, the bits of rubber are forced through it into the casing, and pushed as far as possible away from the opening. he hole is then closed by tying a piece of tring around the tire. Another slit is cut about 10 in. from the first, and the me operation performed again. This is continued until the entire casing is packed with the rubber chunks, when the strings holding the edges of the slits together are removed, and the tire placed on the wheel rim. After the bicycle is ridden a short distance, more rubber can be placed in it. his makes it practically solid. It can then be cemented to the rim. A tire treated in this manner will not ride quite as easily as a pneumatic tire, but it pro- tects the rim from injury at slight cost. Electric-Light Fixtures Made from Gas Brackets In a factory which had discarded gas illumination, a number of the abandoned fixtures were col- lected by one of the employes for use as. electric- light brackets in METAL CLAMP -~WOODEN BLOCK ws LONG NIPPLE ff , his home. The sketch shows how each fixture was attached to a shelf, or other woodwork. A small block of wood was clamped to the shelf, and one end senen éadou diane } of a long nipple AND WIRED TO BRACKET - was screwed into it, while the other end supported the bracket. A hose clamp was soldered to the burner end of the bracket and made additionally secure with wire, so that it was strong enough to hold an electric-light socket. Kach bracket was double-jointed, which added greatly to the convenience of the ar- rangement, as the light could be set in a variety of positions, for shaving, read- ing, cooking, or any other purpose. MECHANICS 3il Making a Sleigh Ride Comfortable Many sleighing parties are rendered un- pleasant because the bobsled or sleigh is not properly equipped to keep its occu- pants warm during a long ride. Certain - Pa BLANKETS ‘ y 4 ; Fae —| SACKS OF STRAW if pep \ P 2 ‘ — ~~» H ; , , => SY ; ; ; ! i a : ' : \ | f ' 4 ; > a) ! g _ , : ls ’ f 7 ‘ ’ - S \ ' ; SH | : > Bi : H ; { ‘ . ' ‘ . : ; a With Benches In- + Tf | | | } | } stalled along the io ;* | ‘ ' ' Sides, and Thor- i I } } oughly Padded with Straw, a Sled is Made Comfort- able and Warm. The Diagram at the Bottom Shows How Passengers should be Seated DIAGRAM OF SEATING simple preparations will remedy this dis- comtort. Low benches, made from 2 by i2-in. planks, supported at either end b blocks of wood, are installed along both sides of the sled. Passengers seated on these can brace themselves by placing their feet against the bench on the oppo site side. This lessens the effect of the jolts caused by rough roads. A seat provided for the driver by placing a board across the front ends of the lengthwi benches, and adding a back rest to thi The sides of the sled body should bi extended high enough to shield the occ: pants from the wind, but not so high as to iiterfere with their view of through which they pass. The bottom the sled, as well as the benches, ars eréd with about 1 ft. of straw, over heavy blankets are spre ; with straw are fastened to the ends, and serve as back cushions. Witha sled prepared in this manner, foot the count ers are unnecessary, as the heat from tl occupal ts’ bodies will be sufficient to keep the party warm, if the members ar covered with blankets. For use in the vehicle is ove turned, two scantlings, 2 by 4 in. and as long as the sled, should be carried. By employing these as levers, the sled can he righted very easily—J. Horace Van Nice, Chicago, Ill. case

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312 POPULAR MECHANICS Paper Die Embosses Monograms With a simple paper die made from three visiting cards, it is easy to emboss cuT Out MONOGRAM WITH KNIFE CLUE HONOGRARE oe Mens TURD, Fic.3 ¥ UNE Usceh Fie.5 METHOD OF USING NOTE PAPER MONOGRAM DIE The Various Figures Show the Successive Steps in Making a Monogram Die from Three Visiting Cards a monogram or other design on station- ery, or upon the leaves of books. Be- sides the cards, some good mucilage or liquid glue will be required, and a very sharp-pointed knife. The successive steps of making the die are shown in the illustration. First, lay one of the cards on the table, sketch in the monogram with a lead pencil, and cut it out with the knife point, as shown in Fig. 1. An old magazine, a board, or a piece of glass should be laid under the card while this is done, so as to give a clear sharp cut. Do not remove from the card the pieces which have been cut out. The second of the three cards is now placed underneath the first one, and they are bound together with a paper hinge glued to the inside, as shown in Fig. 2. When the glue on this hinge is firmly set, put some glue on the second card, right below the monogram, press the cards together, and let the parts con- stituting the letters themselves stick upon the second card, as shown in Fig. 3. Any inside pieces which are severed entirely from the body of the monogram, such as the insides of the letters “O,” “D,” or “P,” must not be permitted to stick to the glue on the second card, but must be pulled loose. When the main body of the mon- ogram is firmly attached to the second card, these center pieces are replaced, and a small amount of glue is placed on their top surfaces. The first or upper card is now brought down upon the sec- ond, and glue is spread on the top sur- face. The third visiting card is then placed on top so that the first card and the small center pieces will adhere to it, as shown in Fig. 4. The die, thus completed, is now folded out open at the hinge, and is placed in a large book or under a weight till the glue is hard. In use, place the paper to be embossed between the upper and lower halves of the die, and press them together with some smooth round object, such as the end of a closed penknife. A rubber eras- er can also be used to press the die to- gether, but is not so good as a round hard object which can be rubbed over the card, as shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 6 shows the appearance of the completed em- bossed monogram. Depth Gauge Made from Broken Rule The depth gauge illustrated can be made from a long bolt and a piece of a broken wooden rule. It is very easy to read, and may be made fair- ly accurate. The bolt is attached to the rule by two screw eyes, through which it should slide with not too much play. The head should be wide enough so. that the graduations on the rule can be com- pared with it, and the length of the bolt should be such that the point at which the top of the head lies against the rule will indicate the amount which its opposite end projects below the lower end of the rule. A short crossarm at the bottom will increase the usefulness of the instru- ment, and a piece at the top wul keep the bolt from. falling out and getting lost. A scale having different kinds of gradua- tion on the two edges is preferable, as the reading can then be taken on either. —J. E. Noble, Portsmouth, Ontario, Can.

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POPULAR MECHANICS Cement for Cracked Stoves Stoves often become cracked when ex- posed to excessive heat. A cement that will repair these cracks, so that the stove will operate efficiently, may be made by mixing a thick paste from wood ashes and the white of eggs. No coal ashes must enter the mixture. Fill the cracks with the paste, making the edges smooth and even. When once hardened, this cement will give long service.—James C. Bailey, Peru, Ind. Simple Wire-Drawing Device In making smail coiled springs, or jew- elry, it is often necessary to make the rib- bon stock by drawing out a wire into thin strips. A simple device for ac- complishing this is shown in the illustra- tion. Two bars of steel, % in. wide by 4 in. thick, and about 2 in. long, are rounded off along one edge and placed side by side in a so that the two rounded edges face each other. The piece of wire to be drawn is then flattened at one end and inserted between the two bars, on the side where the ad- jacent rounded edges form a _ groove. \fter it has been pushed through so that it projects about 14 in., a clamp is screwed against the two steel blocks, forcing them together. Now, by grasping the flattened end of the wire with a pair of pincers and pulling, it is thinned out as it is drawn through. By repeating the operation, clamping the bars tighter each time, a ribbon of any desired thickness may be obtained.—Earl B. Forrester, Somerville, Massachusetts. vise Easily Made Telephone Transmitter The transmitter shown in the accom- panying cut can be made almost entirely from parts taken from a worn-out electric bell, and those which can be taken from an exhausted dry cell. The back of the transmitter is the bell 313 proper, and serves as a casing for the various parts. The two contact buttons are obtained by sawing off pieces from the end of a carbon electrode, taken from WOODEN MOUTHPIECE CARBON BUTTONS Parts of an Old Electric Bell and Dry Cell are Used in This Telephone Transmitter or Microphone an old dry cell or from an electric-light carbon. Each should be drilled through its center, one to take a small machine screw tightly, and the other to receive a binding post, which may be taken from the dry cell, or may be purchased separate. Before attaching the rear button, an insulating washer should be cut from a piece of fiber or leather, and slipped over the binding post, as shown, care being taken that the washer is large enough to keep the button from making contact with the bell. After preparing a small paper tube to insulate the screw from the bell, the button and binding post may be put in place, a second insulating washer applied on the outside, and the whole drawn firmly together with a nut is shown, The next step is to cut out a diaphragm from a piece of ferrotype tin, commonly known as tintype. After drilling a hole through the center, one side is scraped carefully, so as to afford a good contact, and the second button is fastened to it with a small screw. The carbon dust, which forms the vari- able resistance, is obtained by crushing the carbon electrode from the discarded cell until the fragments are about the size of a pinhead. After the finer particles have been removed with a sieve, the re- mainder is poured into a paper cup, just large enough to slip easily over the two carbon buttons, and about % in. less in length than the depth of the bell. This completes the instrument with the exception of the mouthpiece, which may be turned out of wood on lathe, making the flange along the rim of such a di- ameter that it will fit snugly over the bell, when assembled. In operation, the two leads are connected to the two binding posts, and the remaining circuit is formed, as usual.

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How to Build Small Transformers By JOHN A. PRIOR N this day of the alternating current, it seems strange that so few amateur electricians try their hand at the small step-down transformer. rhis apparatus, _ WRAPPED PRIMARY COIL—— WITH TAPE SECONDARY COIL: CORE ——— FUSE WIRE IN (PRIMARY CIRCUIT PRIMARY NE CLAMP TO HOLD JOINT AT END OF CORE SECONDARY (LOW VOLTAGE LOAD Fic.! The Single-Coil Type of Transformer Has One Primary and One Secondary Coil, Wound on a Core of Sheet-Iron and Paper Strips alternating-current cir- cuit, will successfully supplant batteries for many purposes, from ringing door- bells and running toys to heating, solder- ing, and even spot-welding on a small scale. The transformer is very simple in construction, consisting of but three es- sential parts: two windings mounted on a soft-iron core. Compared with the induc- tion coil, the low-voltage transformer of small size presents very few difficulties. The biggest difficulty, really, lies in find- working on any ing the essential seuiitahains of size and proportion. Haphazard methods are not likely to produce good results—at least not the results expected—and the compu- tation of the correct proportions is a job in itself. All the necessary data may be readily extracted from Tables I and II, for sizes from 25 to 500-volt-amperes output. Smaller sizes can be made, but they are likely to be of more value as an object lesson in the unfortunate effect of low power factor, than as a source of power. These ratings are not hard and fast, of course. The practical limit to the output of a transformer is over heating from resistance losses; hence, if the transformer is used intermittently with plenty of chance to cool off, its maxi- mum output may be very much higher than these figures. The table is based ‘on a frequency of 60 cycles; lower fre- quencies would decrease the output, and higher frequencies increase it. All transformers are made 314 with lami- nated cores, to reduce the eddy-current losses. In commercial transformers punched laminations are used, and to copy this construction by hand is a tedi- ous job. Much of the work can be avoided by building up the core of plain strips, bent to shape; the result is shown in Fig. 1. While not handsome, it wil! be nearly as effective as the. usual form since magnetic flux has no eye for beauty along its path. The core is merely bundle of strips of soft sheet iron, of any thickness which will bend easily, a shown in Fig. 2. Between the strips of metal are thin paper strips; or varnis] may be used, if care is taken to leave th: . ends of the strips bare, where they to overlap. ; The secondary coil may be wound d rectly on the core, after the latter i taped. It may be out of the question t get the large size of wire listed in th table; if so, a bundle of enough smaller wires to give the same cross-section just as good. This bundle may consis: of bare wires, insulated by wrapping wit! paper or tape, for the voltage differen between adjacent layers is very low Too much insulation is actually a det: ment, for excessive bulk means a longer: primary winding. The primary coil is best wound sep rately, on a form built up of pasteboard \fter the coil is completely wound, th pasteboard form is torn off a little at time, and the coil wrapped securely wit! tape, as the form is removed. The coil must of course be large enough so that it can be slipped on over the secondar PRIMARY ————— CORE MADE UP OF SECONDARY ALTERNATE STRIF ~ = - OF SHEET IRON AN + “ABOUT W { | PAPER | } 4 WwW ' - af AVERAGE -- L. = : 1. LENGTH 1 1 —~ EACH STRIP BEN AROUND WINDIN Fic.2 SO THAT ENDS OVERLAP SEE TABLE 3 ; In Fig. 2, Above, are Showr the Coils in Position on the Core, Before the Latter is Bent to Its Final Shape Pe WINDINGS ay rr = To the Left, in Fig. 3, the [ — a5 Arrangement of Coils in \ = ey the Double - Coil: Tran: —— ee Fic.3 formers is Illustrated = - ) Diagrammatically For this primary winding, cotton magnet wire is best; shellacked as wound. must be avoided; -covered each layer may b« Here again, bulk even bell wire is prefer- é | ,

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Bes 00 ac re eR aise ible to rubber-covered or other thickly nsulated kinds, since the difference in po- ntial between adjacent turns can hardly xceed 25 volts. Now, with both windings in place, the ore can be finished. The object to be orne in mind is, of course, to provide magnetic path as good and short as sssible. The ends of each separate iron trip are bent around the coils, as closely convenient, as shown by the dotted nes in Fig. 2. They should then be cut so as to overlap only a short distance say, from ¥% to 1 in., depending on size. he paper strips are cut off so as to give metal-to-metal contact between ends of he same strip—not between one strip nd another. The more iron has to be ut off the better, for the shorter the re, the higher the power factor of the rimary. Finally, the ends of the lamina- tions are clamped together by some con- nient means, as in Fig. 1, In the case of the larger sizes (see Table lll), for which double sets of coils are ecommended, the construction is the me, except that the two sets of coils arranged on opposite sides of the POPULAR MECHANICS 315 ring formed by the core, as shown in lig. 3, with the primaries’ connected in parallel to the line for maximum out- put. Other voltages may be obtained, as indicated in Table III. Of course, two or more secondary windings may be put on the smaller sizes as well, if it is desired to have more than one terminal voltage available, For a base, something of the nature of a fiber plate on a wooden subbase is good. Binding posts, etc., are matters of choice. A fuse should always be in- cluded in the primary circuit, to protect the lighting-circuit fuses in case of a short in the secondary, for a very small transformer will draw a very heavy cur- rent—until it melts or burns up, if not provided with a fuse. A short circuit in the secondary has practically the same effect as one in the primary. It is also a good plan to solder perma- nently to the primary terminals a flexible lamp cord with a plug, to prevent the possibility of the transformer being con- nected up backward by mistake. Con- necting the low-voltage coil to the high- voltage line would burn it out at once.

eat ' ; i] a. a SMALL TRANSFORMER rABLE 1! | TABLE II DATA Primary Voltage 110 | Primary Voltage 220 i| 1 \\ | | ! | RATED OUTPUT, at 60 cycles—volt | | | | | ; | 4 amperes on] 50 75, 100° 150) 250 25) 50; 75) 100) 150!) 250 | { | i i | i = _ | ‘ — PRIMARY i} | | | | i | WINDING Wire Gauge No ; 25; 23 20 18) 16 13 28; 26) 23 21; 19) 16 “ diameter, In | OS) .023) .082] .041) .051! .072)) 013! .016) .023) .028) .086) .05 Number of turns |, STO) 475) 340) 285, 228) 190 1140) 950) GSO) S70) 456) 380 * Approximate length, Ft 550! 475, 380) 325) 275) 250 1100/1000) 800] G75! 550) 500 1] } | | { i | SECONDARY z= | | | WINDING (1) for 6 volts j | | | Wire Gauge No 2] 10 7) 5 3 0 | ** diameter, In {} O81) 202) .144) 6182) .220) 825 Number of turns | 0 25 Ls 15 12 10) (in series) } | | } {| All secondary data same as — _| | 110 volts for ame | } | dary voltage (2) for 12 volts ! | Wire Gauge No ee ED ie 3 10) &) 6, 3) “diameter, In 1) 057) .OT2) 102) .129) .162) .2209) | Number of turns |} 60 50 36; 30) 24 20 } (in series) j ! | CORE — { “| | | Width (W, Fig. 2) In 1} 13; 1%); 1 % | 2 2%) 2% en 10 ‘ Av. length (L, Fig. 2) In.) 9 10 11.5) 12.5) 14) 1s Core same as } volts, | Weight of iron, Lb * 1, 6% S%4| 11 2) for same output | —_—— . [eae ij Lz ; | | *Length approximate; depends on thickness of insulation Excessively thick insulation should be avoided, especially in smaller sizes, and in secondary Capacity of any size, in Tables I or IT, may be doubled, with improvement in efficiency, by use of two sets of windings (same as those of size to be doubled), connected in parallel for the maximum output. Add 25 per cent to length of core; otherwise, same as size to be doubled.. Three different terminal voltages may be obtained, by the following connections: TABLE III.—LARGER SIZES. (200, 300, 500 volt-amperes.) (See Tables I and II for windings, etc.) windings 110 or 220) 116-220) 110-220 Parallel Parallel Series Secondaries connected in,.Parallet Scries Parallel Sec. volts (6-volt winding) 6 i3 4 Sec. volts (12-volt winding) 12 “4 G Primary volts. . Primaries connected in ,

——_—__—— —

»

<= 4 SS. Sa. oo

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316 Shower-Spray Nozzle Rinses Dishes An ordinary bath spray, consisting of a rubber tube and a nozzle, is a convenience in the kitchen as well as in the bathroom. -

Dishes can be Rinsed Thoroughly with an Ordinary Bath Spray When the Latter is Attached, to a Hot-Water Faucet In the former it can be utilized for rinsing dishes by attaching the tube to a hot- water faucet. The dishes should be placed in a wire tray in the sink. This method saves labor and time.—Shirely Ware, Chi cago, Ill. Check Valves in Pipe Tees A convenient and very inexpensive ty} of check valve can be built in an ordinary iron-pipe tee. Suchavalve must not be used for acids and other substances which will iron, but brass tees in iron-pip¢ obtained if necessary. to the leit is made ne corrode sizes can be Phe valve hicl PIPE CAP — nf ? THREADED ROD

SMALL PIPE Check -Valves Built in Ordinary Pipe Tees: The Valve at the Left Uses a Disk, and the One at the Right a Ball, Both Seating on an Extra-Heavy Nipple surface cut on the seats against the flat i bottom, while the one he pple at the

POPULAR MECHANICS at the right uses a ball, fitting into a seat which must also be machined in the end of the nipple. It either valve is used up right, in the position illustrated, th spring is not necessary, unless high pres sures are to be handled. If they are to be used sideways, however, springs wil be necessary. In the valve at the left the disk may be of iron. with the smal rod threaded through it. If the valve ; to be used for air, or in cold weather, t] nut should be unscrewed, and a leath« or rubber washer placed between the ir disk and the valve seat. A regular val disk of hard composition material may used instead of leather or rubber. Ii t! valve seat on the end of the nipple g rough, it can be readily removed and 1 faced. A% the upper end of the tee i plug, through which is threaded a sm iron pipe which contains tl] valve spring and rod, and is provided w a cap on its upper end. The valve at the right is quite simil except that the rod does not move y the valve, the ball being drilled out so t it slides up on the threaded rod. piece of Ice Glider Made from Old Skates \ great deal of sport can be had w ice glider, which is easily made fi: ther . 1 1 k ‘ ‘ ] c care ’ nree old skates and a tew pieces of wor Che skates are bolted on two 1-in. boa: -W ide by 24 in. long, as indicated : ie ' in the sketch. The teering 4 post, <+ post —ajj *. ] oe LEFT F in. iong, PLACED + 1 1 through a hole in - 1 . —— ie top board, and passe Ss is tastened secure ; 1 ly to the & . = ie ) bottom — board. On top o 4 he post is a han- r Soh i2 in. long, f = p h is held in . 0) en | ice by a long To Lower PIECE ev The leit ot 1s placed on th top board, and tl *ht foot used to push the glider. - Tl] O handle makes it possible to ou contrivance in any direction. Bottle Caps on Shoe Prevent Slipping Common crown bottle caps, if nailed to the soles and heels of shoes, will prevent the wearer from slipping on wet floors or ce-covered sidewalks. The tops of the caps should be fastened next to the leather, for the best results.

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POPULAR MECHANICS Real Flowers on Ladies’ Hats Real flowers can be used as trimming r women’s hats, if preserved by a very mple method. Cotton is soaked in a ixture composed of equal parts of water nd vinegar, and then wrapped around ie ends of the flower stems. ‘Tin foil 1s aced over the wet cotton to retain the oisture, and to prevent damage to the it. Flowers treated in this manner will main fresh for several hours.—S. Leo- ird Bastin, Bournemouth, England. Root Slicer Made from Milk Caf By adding a few easily made parts to old milk can, a chicken breeder pro- ided himself with a simple root and egetable slicer, which quickly prepares feed for the fowls with only a_ small mount of labor. A sheet-iron funnel, ightly smaller in diameter at its large nd than the mouth of the can, was con- crted into a slicing tool by making six ongitudinal cuts in its sides with a chisel, ending the metal outward as shown in the illustration, and sharpening the edges i the tangent knives thus formed with a fle. The slicer was fastened securely to the end of a %-in. shaft, 3 ft. long. This was done by bolting the funnel to the haft, and pouring lead in the space iround the bolts. After the bottom of the can had been removed, the funnel and shaft were placed inside, where they were supported by tight-fitting wooden bear- ings, installed as indicated in the drawing. 2" 4" WOOD AS BEARINGS An Old Milk Can, a Sheet-Iron Funnel, and a Shaft Are the Important Parts of This Root and Vegetable Slicer The shaft was bent to provide an operat- ing crank at the end opposite the slicing tool. A wooden horse holds the device in a tilted position, with the mouth of the can lower than the other end. Material to be sliced is placed in the can at the higher end, and slides down to the slicing tool, which is revolved by turning the crank. The slices are collected in a vessel set underneath the mouth of the can. Improvised Bushing Reamers When bushings are renewed in such parts of the automobile as the steering- gear joints, the spring and brake connec- tions, or others, the amateur repairman will find it difficult to enlarge the open- ings for pivot pins or bolts, unless he‘has HACKSAW BLADE Oo END VIEWS , & GRIND TO DESIRED SIZE Reamers Suitable for Enlarging the Holes in Bushings can be Made from Bolts, or Pieces of Steel Rod, with Very Little Labor REAMERS FOR SOFT-METAL WORK a large assortment of reamers. However, the latter can be improvised easily. If a bolt or pin is to be replaced, the old one can be fluted on the emery wheel, or shaped like a wedge on the grindstone, and used as a reamer. Cold-rolled steel of the proper diameter will serve instead of a bolt or ‘pin, if treated in the same manner. Another type of reamer, ap- plicable also to work in iron, is made by sawing a slot in a piece of steel rod, and fastening a section of hacksaw blade in the slot with pins or small screws. The blade is then ground to the correct width, and slightly tapered at the entering end. rhe opposite end of the rod is ground square to permit the attachment of a wrench.—G. A. Luers, Washington, D. C. Light for Motorcycle Repairs Here is a little information that may prove valuable to motorists who are forced to make repairs on the road at night. I was placed in that position not long ago when the chain of my motor- cycle broke on a country road, where no light was available except that pro- duced by the headlight of the machine. This, of course, was projected forward, and did not serve to illuminate the scene of operations. Finally I conceived the idea of placing a sheet of white paper in front of the headlight, and extending it a few inches to the side on which the work was to be done. This simple re- flector provided ample light.—Ed. Jaco- bitz, Grand Rapids, Mich.

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318 POPULAR Holder for Electric Light At one time the writer lived in a room with but one electric light on a drop cord. Sometimes it was desired to have the light at va- rious places in the room, so several holders were made of spring brass and fastened at different places about the room—at the desk, table, and bed, so Z that to change the lo- mA SPRING cation of the light , a took but a moment. The lamp socket is gripped between the two spring arms, holding it firmly.— Douglas Aitken, Marshfield, Ore. Using Fountain Pen in the Dark By attaching a small phial of lu- minous paint to a fountain pen by means of elastic bands, as shown in the illustration, writing can be done in the dark. The contrivance can be applied to an ordinary pen- holder in the same manner. ELASTIC BAND “SMALL PHIAL NTAINING LUMINOUS PAINT To Save Stooping at Stairway Door Opening a door at the bottom of a stair- way is usually a somewhat difficult opera- r — a tion, due to the pot CLOSING Door location ol the 1 W$K—— screw eve door knob, which } | can be reached Nt STRING only by stooping. » This difficulty can \ be overcome } easily. A long \ ¢ screw is substi- ' tuted for the short | Be one in the door- ‘TX oe I’ knob handle, and x Ne connected with a iL aye screw eve near hae the top of the LONG SCREW door by means of — IN DOOR KNOB a string. The im screw actS as a lever to turn the knob when the string is pulled. Even in the dark, it is easy to find the string by passing the hand over the surface of the MECHANICS door. A knob may be fastened beside ¢! screw eye, to be used for closing th: door.—W. W. Parker, Spearfish, S. D. An Air-Suction Trick A simple experiment demonstrates a peculiar condition produced by a sudden decrease of atmospheric density. Thrust a glass tube through a cork of large d ameter, until its end is flush with the other side. Then run a pin through a thin layer of cork and insert it in the tube. Blow a current of air through the tube from the op- posite end, and the thin layer will’ be drawn toward the larger cork, instead « being blown away, as would be expect: The reason is that as soon as the air cu: rent strikes the thin cork it spreads rad ally between the two cork surfaces, a the sudden movement of atmosphere all directions from the density to be decreased. On the side of the cork, the air is at its u density, and consequently its pressur greater on that side, causing the cork t move toward the tube—John C. Jac! Almonte, Ont., Can. center causes tl othe Toy Match Cannon The illustration shows a toy cane the principal part of which is an explode cartridge shell of rather large caliber. 1! latter is mounted TACK ARTRIDGE f on a small board, ia and supported in — \ ang? eee a horizontal posi- —=-— tion by a piece of vi = WEP. tin, cut and bent ‘N ’, as indicated. —- a BASE, tight-fitting cork, , ——., weighted with a tack stuck in the center of it larger end, is used as a_ projectile. The explos charge consists of two match head These are placed in .the shell near it closed end, after which the cork is i serted in the mouth. A lighted matc! or candle, held under the shell at the loc: tion of the match heads, ignites the lat ter, and the cork is expelled. If a large: number of match heads is used, the rang: of the cannon will be increased.—Carl D« Vilbiss, Patterson, Calif.

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POPULAR Holder for Glass Fruit Jars he well-known oving caps trom cam opener for re- glass jars does not solve the problem of holding the can during the process. The operation is made easy with an additional tool, made from a piece of wood and a strap. The handle should be round- ed at the end where the strap attached, as shown in the diagram. he ends of the strap are fastened on one ide of the handle. over the can, and when the handle ts ised as a lever, the can is unable to slip. Fred Christensen, Columbus, Ohio. Hook Holds Brush Upright in Pail By fastening a right-angle screw hook to the side of a paintbrush, is indicated in the ketch, the brush can be hung in an upright position inside a_ bucket, and will not be- come overloaded with paint or bent out of shape. Door Catch Made from Strap Iron An efficient from a short length of strap spring steel, by bending it as shown in made iron, or door catch can be the illustration. The strip should be about 10 in. long, and % in. wide. Spring steel is the better material to em- ‘ ploy, though it ok cannot be bent at Sd iii 2 _sharp angle without breaking. If it is used, the points at which angles are to be made should be heated, and tempered again after the metal is bent. Two or three holes are punched in the device, so that it may be fastened to the floor with screws.—Forrest Benson, Boul- der, Colo. The loop is slipped: MECHANICS Leveling by a Water Float The improvised substitute for an or- dinary level shown in the illustration is a dependable device. To make it, a bucket is filled nearly to the top with water, and Accurate Results are Obtained with This Level, Which Consists of a Board, Equipped with Two Upright Masts, Floated in a Bucket of Water a small board, equipped with an upright mast near each end, is placed in the ves- sel. The contrivance is adjusted by sight- ing across the tops of the masts at some fixed point, and cutting them off until the line of sight falls on the same spot, when their positions are reversed. The actual leveling is done by holdimg a rule as a level rod at each corner of the surface to be made level, and raising or lowering the corners until the line of sight over the masts falls on the same point on the rule at all of the corners, Simple Crochet-Ball Holder A holder for thread that enables a per- son crocheting to move about the house, or put aside the work at will, can be made from common spring wire. [or the pur- pose a piece about 12 in. long is bent into the shape of a rectangle, the lower left-hand corner being bent up, hook-shape, to receive the adja- cent side of the frame. This car- ries the ball of thread and is given an_ extra turn at the end opposite the hook for the sake of springiness. To attach the holder to the person, a small square of cloth is looped about the upper part of the frame and pinned to the apron. As iron rusts easily, and is liable to soil the clothing, the framework should be made of brass. However, if this is not available, rusting may be prevented by wrapping the framework with ribbon, or with adhesive or tire tape.

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A MODEL SOLDIER-CIVILIAN COMMUNITY HOUSE S O ceriously have the “ people of Man- hattan, Kan., taken their social-center problem, complicated by the proximity of a large nilitary camp, that they have invested $34,500 in the construction of a pretentious commu- nity house of limestone- trimmed brick. The ad At the Left, View of the Large Auditorium, Cement-Floored and over 50 Feet Wide, with the Stage Opening Visible at the Far End: The Ceiling of the Room Is 22 Feet High. Below Is the Front of the Building Itself, the Attrac. tive Combination of Brick and Limestone being Clearly Shown LADIES” ROOM a | Floor. The General DOWN) |////) Toilet Facilities, and || GENERAL OFFICE DOWN a sy structure, 145 by 55 ft., is designed for the use of soldiers and civilians alike. ts chief feature is a huge cement- floored auditorium with a 22-ft. ceiling, equipped with stage and dressing room for dramatic entertainment, with a gal- lery across one end above the general ‘ fhce, ladies room, and Stairway. Pro visions are made for music and dancing, billiards and similar games, reading, and nn Ladies’ Room at the Left are Located under I} a Gallery, Which Extends the Full Width of the Room. In the Basement Are Shower Baths, a = Coal Rooms and Heating Plant A Floor Indicates the Size The Plan of the Main OOWN of the Auditorium, Which, with Its Stage and \ Dressing Room, Occupies Nearly the Entire Office, Stairway, and STAGE 55’ a Kitchen, besides the ORESSING ROOM — »¥ writing. A kitchen forms part of the equipment and in the basement are show- er baths and toilet facilities. A large club of business men assisted the city in financ- ing the undertaking, and supplied all th furnishings. As long as the military cam continues its activities, the soldiers hav: first claim on the use of the house. When the uniforms finally have been laid away, it will revert to the townspeople, and con- tinue to center civic and social affairs. IN accordance with the editorial policy of this magazine never to accept compensation in any form for what appears in our reading pages, and also to avoid all appearance of doing so, we are obliged to omit the name of the maker or the seller of any article described. This information, however, is kept on file and will be furnished free, by addressing Bureau of Information, Popular Mechanics Magazine, Chicago. [Editor.] Viaré 3 ~ 0 a “wp, a a ¥ vs, «