Popular Mechanics 1921-04: Vol 35 Iss 4

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MAGAZINE WRITTEN SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT Electric Oil on Lishts Its Own Way , md A A

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POPULAR MECHANICS ADVERTISING SECTION oat Wise Old Jim Johnson of Antioch-ills.— (And his long son Frank’s all wool, no Srills)— Well, he runs the best hunter’s lodge on sixteen lakes, And he’s there withthe goods when the trouble breaks! If you want a chicken dinner, there’s a chicken on the roost, If your motor won’t bark, he’s there with a boost ; What Jim don’t know about boats ain’t known— And mighty few ducks from his gun have flown. The fish in the Chain hug the keel of his boat, ’Cause they dassent be seen when Jim’s afloat ; He knows what a water-craft is like when it’s good, And every darned boat he’s got is CYPRESS wood! WM. ARGYLE QUAYLE ———————— a — — For the Free Cypress Boat Book, with 116 pages, 29 pictures, 16 charts, and big supplement, just write the Southern Cypress Manufacturers Assn., 1219 Perdido Building, New Orleans, Louisiana, or 1219 Heard National Bank Build- ing,Jacksonville, Florida."Twillcome promptly. ——— “*Mary M."’ plying Northern lakes in Illinois and Wis- consin, All CY PRESS—‘‘because the owner knows."’ Please Mention Popular Mechanics ep mee

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a A ET TO Rg SP a oo ee a ee ew ee ee we ~ -_- eT, ve, sh a Popular Mechanics Magazine REGISTES N PATENT FFICE WRITTEN SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT Vol. 35 APRIL, 1921 No. 4 Pneumatic Mine Shovel Is Rapid Muck Loader AS 1 means of keeping pace with the ment is quite interesting. rapid work of the modern rock drill, at each side are fixed labor and time in removing the wheel, on which the owing muck piles, a form of shoy mounted. When the ichine operated by compressed air the wheel segyments bac doing interesting work. The ma over by the strain of rolling on the usual mine tracks, is the shovel with them ng by 4 ft. wide and high, eighs 4,300 Ib. It will work tunnel, or drift, 5 ft. wide 7 fit. high, and the shovel to reach 51, ft. to either loading 45 tons an hour into not over 50 in. high. Three d levers control it, admitting first to the bottom cylinder, hich forces the shovel into the then to two center cylinders it raise it, and finally to a top cylinder that carries the load up nd back into the car. The ole mechanism is very simple nd sturdy, and the loading move- to ; wo ste segment shovel ~abli of a Top: The Pneumatic Shoveling Machine Lifting a Load from the Muck Pile in Front of It, as the Ope’ ator Moves the Levers. Bottom: The Shovel, Swung Over by the Air Cylinder, Delivers Its Load into the Car ‘$1

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452 POPULAR PUMPING UP TENNIS BALLS TO KEEP THEM ROUND A tennis ball equipped with a bladder and an air-entry duct to permit reinflation, is the latest development of the popular Above: Needle of Air Pump Inserted through Outer Ball to Bladder. Below: Assisting Bladder Valve to Close by Squeezing with Fingers sporting accessory. A pump with a needle- like point at the end is used for the in- flating process. The needle is placed in the inner ball through an aperture indi- cated by markings on the outside ball and the air is pumped in. When the injector of the pump is withdrawn, a soft-rubber knot that serves as the bladder valve, curls up and closes the opening, leaving the ball hard and round. PLANTS ARE MADE TO BLOOM EARLY BY SIMPLE PROCESS Two acknowledged authorities on plant culture have succeeded in forcing poin- settias to mature and bloom as early as MECHANICS August by shortening their daily exposure to light. This information will be enthu- siastically received by florists, as the in- ducing of the plants to flower in time for Christmas has always been a vexatious problem. So satisfactory have the results been that attempts are now being made to make chrysanthemums blossom in spring and iris in December. Carrying the idea further, it may be possible so completely to alter the habits of plants that all the different varieties can be made to bloom at the same time. BATHING CAP IS BLOWN UP TO FIT WEARER’S HEAD Experience with ordinary bathing caps, that are either tight enough to cause a headache, or loose enough > ~ to be of little value, has y prepared a welcome for a new form of pneumatic cap that fits all heads. The rim of the new head pro- tector is an annular tube, with- a valve permitting it to be inflated by way of the mouth, assur- ing just the right pressure for water- tightness and comfort. Several fancy-color combinations are offered to tempt the beach habitués. PANTOGRAPH REPRODUCES Through the use of the three-dimension pantograph or “pointer,” the expert sculp- tor is able to save much time by turning over a great deal of his work to less skilled men who understand the operation of the apparatus. It works on the same principle as the ordinary pantograph used in en- larging or reducing maps and drawings according to scale. The main feature of the pointer, in- vented to eliminate much exacting work in enlarging from smaller figures, is a movable metal shaft swinging from a fixed point. Attached to this shaft are two arms moving in unison. Each ends in a sharp point, hence the name pointer. The shaft and arms are so joined that no matter how they may be moved, they re- main extended in a straight line with the fixed point. From this point the shaft meves by means of a pivot. Tne sculptor makes the small model, STATUES IN HEROIC SIZE which usually is the painstaking work of many months. The reference points are marked off on this model. After the en larged piece has been roughly cut along the lines of the smaller perfect model, the pantograph is assembled. The pointer on the shaft nearest the model is placed on a marked spot of the model. The other arm then marks at once the corresponding point on the enlarged figure. The model and the figure to be enlarged are mounted on vertical axes. They are so mounted that all parts of both pieces can be reached by the pointer arms. The accompanying photograph shows an experienced pantograph man enlarging to life-size a horse modeled by the hands of A. Phimister Proctor, an American sculptor. The small horse’ required months to create. The reproduction in full life-size by means of the pantograph is the work of only a few days. J a a a os

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Oe aan - i ; ? How the Three-Dimension Pantograph is Used to Reproduce Vice Versa: The Man on the Back of the Horse is Setting U: the Small Model may Take Months to Complete, the Reproducti a American Sculptor, A. Phimister Proctor, is Seen Working on an I Beaver, a Blackfoot Indian from Idaho, is Posing in the War Re;

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184 POPULAR SMALL BOATS OF WAR SERVICE ROT AND DRIFT AWAY Under the Williamsburg bridge in New York are large numbers of rowboats, life- MECHANICS CEYLON HYDROELECTRIC PLANT WILL WORK WITH HIGH HEAD Plans are under way for the construc. tion of a hydroelectric plant on the island of Ceylon that will have COPYRIGHT, AMERICAN PROTO stmvrct Rowboats, Lifeboats, and Rafts Going to Ruin under the Williamsburg Bridge in New York, or Drifting, Unhindered, Out to Sea boats, and rafts, that formed, not long ago, the life-saving equipment of trans- port ships and the miscellaneous vessels engaged in America’s war service. Now they lie in heaps on the wharves, suffering the ravages of dry rot, or swing idly on the river at the end of decaying ropes that finally fall apart, letting the little craft drift away to be lost at sea. The boats were offered at public sale at one time, but there were few takers at the prices asked, and so the stranded fleet is gradu- ally going to waste and ruin. COLORED LINES ON FLOOR AS GUIDE TO OFFICES Because Los Angeles has a complicated city-hall building, with two annexes of differing floor level, and other structural peculiarities, persons unfamiliar with its arrangement have difficulty in finding the particular departments they seek, even when carefully directed by the informa- tion official. So, now it is proposed that lines of different colors be painted on the floors and stairways, running all the way from the front entrance to the various offices and departments. Using a distine- tive color for each department, visitors would be enabled to trace the guide line to their destination with ease. an immediate output of 24,000 hp., with a possible later development of 100,000 hp. Water from the Kehelgomu Oya and the Maskeli Oya will be diverted by canals to a point where the remark- able working head of 2,000 ft. will be made available. To equalize the flow. which under natural conditions is quite unreliable in the island streams, large storage reservoirs will be built, similar to the an- cient “tanks” of the country’s early civiliza- tion. Local railways and the principal cities, Co- lombo and Kandy, will absorb much of the out- put, the rest going to fac- tories, tea plantations, pumping stations, and miscellaneous con- sumers in the hill country. METAL BULBS FOR CAMERAS AND ATOMIZERS Rubber bulbs, of the type generally used on atomizers and cameras, get hard with age and weather conditions and soon find themselves in the wastebasket because of leaks. A very light bulb made of alum- inum is now furnishing compressed air in good quantity. The bulb is constructed in two parts, one telescoping in the other, and when the hand presses the two together, the air is forced out. An in- ternal spring then restores the telescoping part to its normal position. It is ex- ) atid _— a Telescoping Aluminum Cylinder That Takes the Place of Rubber Bulbs for Atomizers and Cameras tremely practical in that it will not rust, tarnish, corrode, or crack because of weather conditions. . |

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iy POPULAR MECHANICS WITH NEW CAR-DOOR CONTROL ONE GUARD HANDLES TRAIN \ll the doors of a six-car elevated y train are opened and close lard, with the aid of a new electri control system recently tested in Ne rk City. A simple lever mounted on all at the 1 1 guard's hand actuates the loor mechanism. To complete the elimi tion of the individual car attendants, loud-speaking telephone receiver is d in each car, and connected to a ismitter hung on a flexib co! in the guard’s compartment. With this he ce the stations, re itabl n es, OT even step out ice t the tations to give information from t latforms, and be heard throughout th: @Sugar-cane waste, after the extraction of sirup, is now being converted into a coarse, heavy form of board, suitable for lining building walls, by a process which virtually inaugurates a new industry for the South ; wa. vlevated At the Left: A Guard Using the New Door-Control 1 Eau 5 ‘ and Announcir § juipment on a Six Train. All the Doors of the Six Cars Closed Electrically by Operating the Hand the Wall, and the Telephone ter to Loud-Speaking Receivers in the Lone Guard's Announcemer S His Admonitions to “Watch Your Step.’ ar are Opened Lever Sonne Which Rep 1s Flexible Cord on Which the Telephone is mits the Guard to Step Out onto th 3efore He Signals the Motor Ma Wo e Station Platform ; ana ILLINOIS’ HIGHWAY MARKERS TO BE OF CONCRETE d Markers now being pre] tate of Illinois for the D n many vs. | de. post and “_ | 7 ( ( cret i iO | | 7 > }~ 7 eng iped id is 25 " oy & 1! Ol } ] / I ~ ‘ I ( te > o ve rT ¢ ] +7 be r ()n ] } tac | ( | r out ot tiie ' 1 1 te \ im 1 6 frorvit + +1, ( cle ( { i mileage figure appeat in re outline is carried on the back as it appears at the autoist tains only the route number.

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486 POPULAR REVOLVING WOOD TRIMMER MAKES NEAT CUT By pushing the lever of the revolving knife of a new type of wood trimmer, power necessary for the fP cut and turning of the knife is furnished. The piece to be cut is laid on the flat bed of the trim- mer, and the end protrudes over the edge, on the knife By Pushing the Hand Lever to the Opposite Side, the utting Knife is Rotated and Moved. Upper Right: Sharpener side. The lever is then operated, bringing the knife into action and cutting the wood to the required size. The sides or housings are adjustable and can be set to permit a board 90 in. wide to enter, for cutting. It is capable of trimming pieces up to 2 in. in thickness. NEW ASPHALT-PAVING PROCESS PREHEATS ROADBED In an improved road-building process boiling asphalt is made to penetrate the small spaces in the crushed-stone founda- MECHANICS tion and top layers, and completely en- velop each stone. In this way what has been called an “asphalt concrete” is formed. Heating the asphalt is only one part of the process. The departure from standard methods, used heretofore, con- sists in preheating sections of the road- bed, after the crushed stone has been applied, to temperatures as high as 350° F., by means of special devices, and apply- ing the boiling asphalt immediately. This prevents the chilling of the tarlike fluid before it has time to penetrate even the smallest crevices and sink completely through the top layers to the subgrade. NEW YANKEE BALL PARK A WORLD BEATER Sometime in 1922, the new ball park of the New York American League, to be located on the east bank of the Harlem River, will be completed, and judging from the published plans, it will be one of the best appointed athletic stadiums in the world. It will occupy a plot 700 it. in its longest dimension east and west, and nearly as wide north and south. Instead of the usual oval bowl, the new ball park will have a roughly triangular shape, entirely surrounded by a solid three story structure. The park will be opened for use as soon as accommodations for 50,000 fans have been installed, but the ultimate object is to seat 75,000. Every seat will have an unobstructed view of the playing field, and there will be 5,000 bleacher seats for the lovers of mixed sunshine and baseball. The finest quality of materials will be used in the construc- tion of this baseball palace, the total cost of which will be about $2,000,000. ted foae 4 [reese Athy am =... athe Ieeney > 2 *tre8g ‘tay The Monster Yankee Ball Park will Have Three Floors Which will be Fitted with 75,000 Seats. Concrete and Steel of the Best Quality Obtainable will be Used in the Construction

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is the elephants lumbered down ; the ramps to the ground on the morning of ‘wy the show’s arrival, they were lined up along the track.. .As the last elephant set foot on the ground, the big herdstruck out on the lope for the open count? ie the circus menagerie wild animals are \nd nothing in circus iife is so fraught always held to be dangerous. In the with terrifying possibilities as an elephant performing arena, this assumption is the stampede. It reflects great credit on first rule of training. No animal can be American animal trainers’ efficiency that rusted. The most tractable and obedient the few elephant stampedes on record beast will turn and attack at any time the have been headed without the loss of mood seizes it. Trainers know this well, single life, although several trainers ha and the successful ones are always pre- suffered frightful injuries in their eff pared for a sudden spring or a sweeping to regain control of the rampant herds. stroke of unsheathed claws. But, until \nd in each stampede it has been a bad an animal has once rebelled successfully elephant that led the mad rush. broken down man’s mastery temporarily There have been three serious stat it is not “bad” in the sense that trainers pedes within the last 10 years. Twenty use the term. one elephants were unloaded from a circus A “bad” lion, tiger, puma, jaguar, leop- train at Danville, Ill, several years ago ard, or any other cat animal, can be ban- \s the elephants lumbered down tl ished from the performing arena and ramps from their cars to the ground on caged. Its value for exhibition purposes the morn is not decreased. With elephants, how- were lined up along the track. Attendant ever, such is not the case, for elephants, were standing at intervals in front of ing of the show’s arrival, the) | with the circus, must be moved about. the line. <As the last elephant set foot They must be led from the trains to the on the ground, the big herd struck out on show lot and back, and, on the lot, they the lope for the open country. Througl can only be chained to stakes for safety. the residence streets of the town tl Hence, an elephant gone bad is a mighty raced, the “bull” men frantically strivit serious proposition, and killing must eome_ to stop them. When the animals reach: sooner or later—sooner,; if the animal is the country, they scattered, knockin in the hands of capable and experienced down fences, trampling gardens and corn men. For a bad elephant is ever biding fields. In their wake the country looked his time to kill, or watching for a chance’ as though a small hurricane had passed to lead other elephants into a stampede. It took the circus men two days to corral

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J oe ©) POPULAR the herd, and the damages ran into thou- sands of dollars. Circus men will tell you to this day that the elephants had deliber- ately planned this stampede, led by a bad tusker. This herd became so unruly that it was returned to winter quarters a few days later, and the circus toured the re- mainder of the season without an elephant in its menagerie. These elephants were taken out the following year without trouble resulting, but the bad tusker had peen killed during the winter. In Riverside, Calif., there was a stam- pede of elephants that had its humorous aspects, although it was no laughing mat- ter while it lasted. A herd of 10 elephants raced through the streets and alleys of this beautiful city for over an hour, and, hundreds of short cuts were taken by the pachyderms through yards, fences, sheds, stables, and one barber shop. One of the largest elephants in the country elected to alter its course sufficiently to carry it through the front door and out the rear door of the shop, where three men were being shaved. As the elephant burst through the street door, carrying most of the front wall with him, the half-shaved customers tumbled out windows and the rear door in wild fright. The elephant then charged into a livery stable, and alert townspeople, seizing their chance, rushed to close the two big sliding doors at the ends of the building. “Now we've got him ” they exulted. One can imagine their consternation when the big bull calmly burst out through the side of the struc- ture. The circus men finally rounded up the herd. Here, too, the circus had to pay heavy damages. Two of the menagerie men were injured in fighting the ring leader, a huge elephant named “Alice,” to her knees with bull hooks. Alice escaped death only because a western zoo offered to take her in. Naturally, the zoo was able to keep her where she could do no harm. This same herd, frightened by a playful kitten, stampeded a short distance in Winnipeg, Can., five years later. The ani- mal men stopped the rush on the circus lot, but not before the herd had flattened 200 ft. of circus seats, for the course of the elephants’ rush was through the “big top.” A young elephant led in that stam- pede, but he was not considered bad, for all pachyderms are easily frightened by small animals, if they are not used to them. Anything strange in the way of animals is-apt to startle them. At the Coliseum in Chicago, last vear, this young elephant, which in a few years had devel- oped into a performer without equal in MECHANICS America, became frightened at a strange four-horse team in the opening pageant- ry of the show. It got out of hand, walking from the ring. The man in charge, with real presence of mind, did not attempt to fight the brute into sub- mission, but bent all his energies on steer- ing it to the elephant lines in the menag- erie part of the building, where he quickly chained it down. When this elephant walked from the ring, eight other per- forming pachyderms followed, their at- tendants gladly letting them proceed so long as they were headed for the menag- erie. Had the leader once swerved, there is no telling what might have happened, for the stands were filled with people. As it was, nobody in the great audience sus- pected that anything unusual had hap- pened. Albert E. Parker, director of the Lin- coln Park Zoo, Chicago, examined this elephant, known the country over as “Snyder, the tusker, the only elephant in the world ever to walk on his hind legs, carrying his trainer on his tusks.” Mr. Parker discovered a white film forming over the beast’s eyeballs. “This elephant is going bad one of these days,” he re- marked. “You had better leave him with me.” The zoo expert’s offer was dis- cussed, but, as Snyder was a feature on the big-show program, it was decided to take him on the road. That decision was greatly regretted before the season was over, but that’s a story that will be told later on. The third serious stampede was unique in that the danger element was restricted to the animals themselves and to the purse of the show’s owners. It occurred at Idaho Falls, Ida., on a Sunday some eight years ago. The elephants had been taken to the Snake River for a bath. As is the usual way, the animals were kept close to the bank, where they enjoved themselves hugely, spraying their backs with water they sucked up with their trunks as they stood shoulder-deep in the stream. Suddenly, they all turned and struck out for the center of the river, despite the efforts of the animal men to turn them. Now the Snake is a treacher- ous stream, deep, with swift undercur- rents. A mile below the herd was a fall. The elephants, feeling the strength of the current and swimming desperately, real ized they could make no headway, and they began trumpeting for help. There were no boats about, and the men could only run along the bank, calling to their respective charges. The elephants fought fiercely to make the shore, and succeeded

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POPULAR MECHANICS 489 one by one. The men, who knew that each elephant that went over the falls was doomed, were desperate until the last pachyderm made the bank—only 400 yd. om the cascading waters. Had all or any of the elephants been lost, the men would have been held to blame, for the Snake was no river in which to give ele- nhants a bath. As it was, a $50,000 herd was in great danger of being wiped out. This also was one stampede not led by a bad elephant. In fact, that herd was the 1ost chastened group of pachyderms in captivity for the balance of the tour. One of the most famous bad elephants ever in this country was “Rajah,” 2% in. taller than “Jumbo,” although not so heavy as the celebrated Bar- num pachyderm. Rajah was man killer, but because of his great height, he had been ired, when Frank Lemon, owner of Lemon _ Brothers’ circus, agreed to buy him from the show that had brought him to America. Lemon had handled the animal, and it was known that he was the only man that the big brute seemed to like. But lemon litere ally had “an elephant on his hands” hen he ac- quired Rajah, for he had to take the elephant from the cars each morning, lead him to the lot, 4 hain him, J care for ( “Snyder,” with Henry Boucher, Trainer, Guiding: His Most Renowned Trick Was to Carry His Trainer on His Tusks While Walking as Shown; Later This Elephant Became Mad and Had to be Shot him, and return with him to the cars at night. Now the owner of a circus has plenty to do without caring for an el phant, and Lemon kept to his task only because the towering Rajah was a mar- velous attraction. One day Lemon had to leave the show on business. Rajah cele- brated by picking up the boss animal man in his trunk and hurling him to the ground with tremendous force. The man was picked up with his ribs, arms, and a leg broken. At Argentine, Kan., the winter quarters of the circus, Rajah killed an at- tendant by hurling him against a stan- chion. It was decided to kill him. So, in the yard of the quarters the ele- phant was chained. Seven shots were hred into him, when he broke loose and ran into a stream close by. He could not be gotte: — er ~ . A “3 out and charged every - one that tried to ap = proach in boats. At last, volley fire from mee othe bank ended his 2. outlawry. a Four years ago a bad circus elephant, named “Mary,” finished a string of wild escapades by killing an attend ant. The man was new at his work and _ had a sang ment to strike the animal with a pitch ad S| i IOrkK.

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490 POPULAR se — Mary picked him up with her trunk, laid him on the ground, and kneeled on him. It was the work of an instant, and the man was crushed to death before attend- ants, 30 ft. away, could reach the en- raged beast. Mary was condemned to die. She was taken to the railroad yards in Dyersburg, Tenn., where the circus was exhibiting that day, and hanged from the crane of a wrecking car. Everybody in Dyersburg and the surrounding country attended the execution, which nation-wide publicity. Huge chains con- stituted the “rope” that choked Mary to death. This incident was described in Popular Mechanics Magazine at the time. But of all the bad elephants ever in America, “Snyder, the tusker,” came nearest to dying “in character,” as theat- rical slang has it. For Snyder died with “his boots on.” It was at Salina, Kan., Monday, Sept. 13, 1920, that Zoo Director Parkey’s prediction came true. The white film over Snyder’s eyes, which Mr. Parker knew by long observation meant mad- ness, had disappeared. Snyder had done received MECHANICS nothing un- usual since the en- gagement of the circus at the Coliseum. However, one of his trainers had been left ill in a hospital along the route. The boss elephant man was the day before called home on urgent business. This left a trainer in charge who had not been with the herd for three years. This change made the herd restless, especially Snyder. After parade that Monday forenoon, the genera! manager of the:show ordered a rehearsal of the middle-ring elephants, which was Snyder, the preéminent fea ture. No had Snyder reached the ring than he turned and raced out, with two attendants clinging to him with bull hooks jabbed deep into his trunk Out of the big top into the menagerie loped the big tusker, the men fighting him at every stride. Through the wall of the inenagerie tent Snyder plunged and shook off the attendants, striking at them with his trunk. The tusker’s small eyes were red with blood lust, and circus men, form- ing a line of skirmishers, headed the crowds on the lot onto the streets out- side the fences. Others, led by the ele- phant men, formed a great circle about among sooner

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=_————C itr ba + ee a aS POPULAR ~~ he elephant in order that he might be ieaded if he turned toward the towns- people. For three hours the big elephant spent his time in turning over immensely heavy pole, seat, and baggage wagons. Back and forth he ran from the menagerie to the open lot. Once he picked up a cage of lions and hurled it 30 ft. He tarted for a den of leopards, but the snarling cats, rearing against the bars vith their claws extended, scared him off. Seven or eight thousand people outside he fences did not realize that the ele phant was utterly beyond control, for it looked as though he were playing as he upset wagons. All during the excitement, the ele ph int heeded his name. So, as he would start a charge, the circus men vould divert him by calling to him. Thus, the field of his activities was restricted. Outside the menagerie was a small tent in which the elephant men were wont to rest between shows. This the elephant knocked over, stamping upon every square foot of the flattened canvas in the apparent hope that some one of the men was underneath. Now and then Snyder would work along the elephant lines in on effort to loose some of the herd. \lways he was driven off by the circus MECHANICS 91 > Cag Se aa a | “4 mile below the herd was a fall. The elk | phanta, feeling the atre ngth of the current and | | swimming desperately, realized they could make no headicay, and they began trumpeting for help. There were no boats about, and the men could only run along the bank, calling to their reapective charges. The elephants fougit fiercely to make the shore, and succeeded on bu one.” - — forces. Time after time tl charged after certain of his tormentor but the men escaped his rushes by le ing quickly to one side as Snyder neare them, for no elephant can turn quicl Once he rushed for the great six-pol top in which 300 of the show’s finest stock were stabled. As the elephant ap quick whistle from the b ie §=6ttusker ' ait proached, hostler brought 60 drivers and groom with pitchforks into line in front of th tent. There were men in that line wh had driven and nursed their six and eight horse teams for year;©s, They were there to die rather than see their pets harmed The sun glinted on the thin line ot pronged steel Snyder, charging t long, lumbering strides, saw and undet tood. He came t i tull top, turned and went back to the menagerie tent where he wrecked thi candy stand Meanwhile Henry B. Gentry, the gen ral manager, had sent for rifles. He al ad prepared apples with ecvanicde of po tassium. These were thrown to the el phant. He ate one and then tossed the h

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492 POPULAR MECHANICS “For three hours the big elephant spent his time heavy pole, seat, and baggage wagons. Once he picked up a cage of lions and hurled it 1 ft. He started for a den of leopards, but the snarling cat 8 a red him off.’ in’ turning over immensely others aside. It is likely he detected the ‘ poison. That contained in the one apple had no effect on him. Mr. Gentry had managed to get “Trilby,” Snyder's mate, chained at one side of the show lot where “At Salina they no longer point out the spot where the last buffalo was killed. Instcad they say, ‘There’s where the elephant was shot.” people would not obstruct the line of fire, if he should decide to shoot the mad brute. When the poisoned apples failed to slow up Snyder’s rushes, Mr. Gentry gave tl ie word. It was then a matter of luring or driving the elephant to a point where he could see Trilby, for it was almost certain that he would attempt to loosen her when he sighted her. Such proved to be the outcome. But,as Snyder neared her, Frank Gentry, assistant manager, armed with a 45-90 rifle, fired. The bul- let caught the tusker in the hollow over the right eye, piercing the brain. Three ex-officers of the army also opened fire, but unnecessarily, for Gentry’s shot was fatal. Slowly, without a sound or a_ struggie, the ele- phant sank to his knees and stretched out on his right side. So ended the only elephant hunt ever held in the heart of Kansas. te Ait

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is Rees POPULAR MECHANICS

- : «3 — ot Lee a PTincekiee i< al the elephant approached, a quick « from the boss hoatler brought lrivers and grooms with pitchforks to line in front of the tent. There ere men in that line who had driven nursed their six and cight-hors¢ s jor scars

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Snyder was only 19 years of age. He vas the largest performing elephant in the orld, and, had he lived, would have un- doubtedly grown to be the largest ele- nt ever in captivity, Jumbo and Rajah not excepted. Also, he was a perfectly rrmed pachyderm, while Jumbo and Rajah | freakish conformations. 4 \ Snyder was he rate of three inches a year. ve years ago he came to the circus rom India in a crate. He could then lk under the extended arm of aver- circus management did not the tusker over to the Lincoln Park Zoo is their greatest they are grateful that the huge not succeed in his murderous quest tha day. 493

However, brute did Had Snyder managed to loosen any of the herd, the worst stampede in the history of the circus For that would have been one rush led elephant.

“PEG MODELS” OF OIL FIELDS ARE OFFICIALLY ADOPTED The platting of oil-bearing localities by means of “peg model” maps, such as were described in the May, 1917, issue of Popu- lar Mechanics, has been adopted by the Bureau of Mines as the official index of the depths at which oil should be found in any particular field. The novel maps would have resulted. But, at Salina, they no longer point out the spot where the last buffalo was killed Instead, they motor visitor to the circu lot on the edge of the town and point to the sward on which Snyder sank into t! long sleep “There's where they shot the elephant,” they explain ] — et a f . luci 1] show the location of every proaucing weil : locality | ' F chal hol in a locality by means of shallow hok Standing upright in each hole is a pe wit! arious colored bands pall ted upot! : T } . ~ - ~ -+ _ sore l it. Kach band represents a certain eart stratum. For instance, if the pegs f a locality showed that oil was found the 1,000-ft. level, it would be a waste « f time and money to continue an unsuccess- ful drilling operation to a greater dept! }

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POPULAR MECHANICS 195 SOUTHERN PINE AND RED GUM COMPRESSED-AIR TOOL BREAKS MAKE GOOD-QUALITY PAPER SAND CORES IN FOUNDRY \s the outcome of some intensive re- Compressed air is the motive power of irch work by the Forest Products Lab- a new type of foundry tool, use of which itory at Madison, Wis., the southern in breaking up cores in castings results rests of loblolly pine nd red gum may be lled upon to supply the iper needs of the coun- in the next few years. former of these sods is excellent for the king of wrapping ers, its long fiber fit- gy it for the purpose Imi ibly. However, all of pine are rich in hich is very diffi- to bleach out. For on they have not retofore been consid- ered as pract icable yurces of white-paper Ip. rhe re cently evolved ycess has changed this, Foundrymen Using the New Compecnsed-Air Tool for Seeanang Up Cores lhasdemonstratedthat in Castings, One Operator Doing Work Formerly Requirin ales - “sn 7 Two Men with Hand eag=2 i Hammers cord each of loblolly ne and red gum will produce one ton of in a 50-per-cent saving of labor. The .l-quality white paper. It is said that tool resembles a rotary-hammer drill. It cost will permit the new papers to weighs 38 lb., operates on a %4-in. hose pete in price with those made of line, and uses 7.x in. solid hexagonal-steel pruce, breaker bars from 2 to 6 ft. long. POOL-BALL RACING APPEALS TO GAMING INSTINCTS \ new amusement-park game of chance, racing, the races cannot be “fixed,” and hich every player literally “gets arun as no way has ever been found of “dop- his money,” is played with 10 or more ing” a pool ball, the “best ball” wins. imbered pool balls, hich are made to run a ce over a 100-ft. in- clined course, laid out it? ith hills and dales, irves and straightaways. l-ach player selects a ball, fter which all balls are raised to the starting int of the incline by a ill elevator, and given an even, fair start. The first ball “under the wire” at the finish is declared the winner, and the holder of the lucky number draws first prize. As in the time-honored “sport of kings,” three prizes may be awarded for “win, place, and show’’—first, —_ — a a anu : ta afesee In the Pool-Ball Racing Game Every Ball Is a “Favorite.” Here is Shown econd, and third places. an Ivory Thoroughbred “‘Leading the Field” in a Fast Finish, However, unlike horse Scoring a Sensational Win for Its Backer 1 ddiAnaaaass:

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496 POPULAR RURAL-MAIL CARRIERS IN JAVA USE MOTORCYCLE SIDECAR The Java, postal department of the island of feeling the need of efficiency, has MECHANICS WOOD DESTROYERS AND MOLD APPEAR ALIKE BUT ARE NOT Although mold and wood-destroying fungi on trees have a very similar appear- ance, there is really a great deal of difference in them. The characteristic nis An American Sidecar Chassis, sidecar chassis with box body, divided into compart- ments for the accommedation of the va- rious classifications of mail matter. Mounted on this machine the postman makes his rounds rapidly. It is reported that the innovation has received a gener- ous welcome and that the inhabitants of the island are enthusiastic in their praise of the improved service. fitted a a light motorcycle Fitted with a Light Box Body, of the R. F. D. Mailman in Far-Off Java feature of mold growth on wood, according to the United States Forest Products Laboratory, is the fact that the minute threads which enter the wood do not bore into the wood fibers nor dis- solve them. They take advantage of the space between the fibers or en ter through the natural openings or pits. Molds feed on the starches and sugars present in the wood. The wood destroy - —s ——— ers, on the other hand, is the Mount are able to send _ their threads right through the fibers so that they become entirely decom- posed. The resultant matter is then con- sumed as food. This produces rot or de- cay, and the wood becomes spongy and useless. Unfortunately there seems to be no simple means for lumbermen and others connected with the lumber industry quickly to detect the difference in the two growths, so close is their similarity. STREET TRAFFIC UNHAMPERED BY ROAD-HOSE PROTECTOR Contractors have difficulty in laying hose across streets because of objections The Hose, Cromsing the Street under a Metal Shield, is n Protected from Injury without Hampering Traffic due to traffic blockades, and frequent dam- aging of valuable lengths of hose. A Cal- ifornia corporation is now using a pro- tector which is built of two wrought metal strips, tied together with bowed straps that are also made of drawn mate- rial. The straps are curved to bring the long metal strips into an arch. Vehicles can run over the protector without jarring and without injuring the hose. HOPPER-BOTTOM BOX CAR FOR COAL AND GRAIN Box cars of a new type, with hoppers in the bottom that open and discharge the load when a pin is withdrawn, have re- cently been placed in service on the Can- adian Pacific Railway. The new cars are intended for the handling of grain, coal, and similar cargoes, and are expected to save much labor in unloading, as well as do away with the necessity for the special car doors that are commonly employed

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POPULAR MECHANICS 497

7 = ” errs,

- A Close View of One of the Car-Bottom Hop- pers as It Opens When the Fastening Pin is Removed: At the Left End is Seen the Handle

ae

of the Lock ing Bar oe a

Above: Inside View of the Car Floor, Showing e Mouth of the Load- th ™ Discharging Hopper. Be- a low: One of the New- 4 “a Type Cars Recently g at Placed in Service for Handling Cargoes of Grain Coal, Which are Un- loaded through Hoppers in the Bottom

aw =. —$<$_ Hive hp i when such cargoes are carried in closed though the front wheel runs at a much cars. The hopper doors. opened by gray lower level than its fellows, the ; m ichine itv, are closed by hand with a locking bar. will remain reasonably level. li the car is to be used for other forms of cargo, not readily discharged by this method, the bottom is easily converted to a solid floor. f NOVEL FITTING WIDENS TREAD OF TRACTOR FRONT AXLE \n attachment for tractor front axles which has the effect of lengthening them, thus increasing the distance from center to center of the front wheels, is supplied as stock equipment with a popular make of machine. The device bolts to the axle and extends outward for several inches and also downward at an angle of about 15°. It carries a steering knuckle yoke a its outer end and is, in effect, a half axle The object of the fitting is to permit one front wheel to run in a furrow, while the ther _ ‘ewe er . : xle-Ex i ric : WN hic rmi other wheels travel over the solid un a ee. for Tractors, coon Permits plowed ground, and also to insure that, the Others on the Unplowed Ground

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498 POPULAR LARGEST STEEL SMOKESTACK IS ERECTED IN NEW JERSEY Newark, N. J., boasts what is asserted to be the largest steel smokestack in the world. The big boiler-plate tube Workmen Painting the World’s Largest Steel Smoke- stack: Quickly Applied Emergency Rigging Prevented the Heavy Top Section from Falling hen a Rope Broke during Installation towers 128 ft. into the air and is 5 ft. 8 in. in diameter. It was made in sections which were riveted together after being hoisted into place by a somewhat elaborate tackle system. The. work, though diffi- cult, progressed without incident until the placing of the final section, when the breaking of a rope almost resulted in the heavy part crashing through the factory roof. Quick action on the part of the workmen prevented the catastrophe, and the job was completed successfully. TREASURY ACCOUNTS ACCURATE TO TWO-THIRDS OF A CENT For the first time since 1913, cash and securities in the national treasury have been checked up, and found to total $13,883,819,826.36-3. The queer item of two-thirds of a cent is occasioned by the presence of a Tennessee state bond for $1,666.66-%, part of the Indian trust fund. MECHANICS Cash amounts to $97,410,283.02 of the whole, and of the securities more than $10,000,000,000 represents the debts of the allied nations to the United States. The total is nearly ten times that of the pre- vious count, though the cash is less than half, because of the sale of 100,000,000 silver dollars to Great Britain. FIND AMERICAN CLAY GOOD FOR SURFACING PAPER A form of clay capable of unusually fine suspension in liquids, and highly valuable for surfacing high-grade book papers, has been found to exist in large quantities in the intermountain regions of this coun- try. Used with other paper fillers, such as English China clay, it improves both their retention and finish. Experiments of the Forest Products Laboratory indi- cate that the new clay’s power of suspen- sion makes possible its distribution from a central mixing plant to the beaters of a paper mill by means of fairly long pipes, without danger of clogging or settling. MORRIS-CHAIR FIRE ESCAPE LAST WORD IN SAFETY A morris-chair fire escape which has been introduced recently, comprises a comfortable piece of furniture and ready means of safety in case = of fire. By extending two brackets attached to the back of the chair out of a window and stringing a rope, wound on a_ spool the Window and Rest on the Sill; the Rope is Threaded over the Pulley under the chair seat, over a pulley located on a rod between the two bracket ends, a quick descent to the ground is accom- plished. A brake, controlled by the fire victim, regulates the speed of the descent.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 499 | >—a- aan _ . ll x WIDE WORLD PHOTOS The Hovering Flying Machine: a } ow, in. | » > } . a -% i. ‘ome a a - a “5 ie The Inventor Claims That It has Performed Quite Successfully, Rising and Descending in Straight Lines, Flying Horizontally or Hovering over One Spot. The Propellers Revolve in Opposite Directions and, on Account of Their Large Area, Exert a Great Lifting Force HOVERING FLYING MACHINE RISES STRAIGHT UP \n Argentine inventor claims to have solved the problem. of constructing a heavier-than-air flying machine which is capable of rising or descending in a straight line, flying forward at any angle, or hovering over one spot. The secret of the machine is in the propellers, of which there are two. They are built up of 12 small biplanes, six to each propeller, which are attached by their ends to the propeller hubs. Although the propellers are independent and revolve in opposite directions, they are mounted, one above the other, at the top of a common column, inside of which is the driving shaft. The body of the machine looks like a torpedo- type automobile speedster, having four wheels and the conventional automobile hood and radiator. The engine occupies the hood, and the driveshaft and column rise directly from it. The apparatus has been called a flying motor car and is cor rectly classified as a helicopter. The French government has shown interest in the novel flier and may conduct extensive experiments with it. NOVEL TIRE AD GATHERS BRISK BUSINESS An automobile wheel, mounted on a pedestal of pipe and ser’ ing the purpose of advertising the sale of tires, has been set up on the sidewalk in front ofas Ip- ply store in a mid-western city. Unmis- takably sug- gesting its connection vith the au- tomobile trade,this wheel-and- tire sign will constantly re- mind the pas- ser-by of the presence of a tire agency. In neighborhoods of close competition, this ad has attracted much business.

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500 POPULAR NEW AUTO SPEED INDICATOR IS VISIBLE FROM SIDEWALK With the idea of checking the mad career of the reckless motorist, a Cali- fornia inventor has brought out a speed- The Speeder “Telltale” Installed on a Car. Insert: Close View of the Instrument, Showing the Three Lights and the Control Switch indicating device, designed to be attached to the front of the radiator or to one of the front fenders, which will inform all other users of the thoroughfare whether or not the car is being driven at a rate of speed within the legal limit. Power MECHANICS to operate the device is transmitted from one of the front wheels through the me- dium of a flexible shaft. The instrument proper consists of a governorlike mech- anism which causes. different-colored lights to show as different rates of speed are attained. The white safety signal lights immediately the car gets under way. Should the legal speed rate within corporate limits be exceeded, a green light will shine. Upon exceeding the rate al- lowed for country roads, a red light blazes forth, and continues to burn until the driver stcps the car and turns a switch built into the instrument body. Any peace officer is justified in arresting the driver of a car showing any other than the white light within city limits. PLAN FURTHER IMPROVEMENT OF CHICAGO BOULEVARDS With the trafic on Michigan Avenue in Chicago already demanding expansion since the famous link across the Chicago River was opened a short time ago, further improvements, to cost $200,000, are announced. For about a half mile, be- tween Pearson and Oak streets on the city’s north side, the roadway will be widened from 45 to 75 or 78 ft. Lake Shore Drive from Bellevue Place to North Lincoln Avenue, and in Park, will also be widened. STORM WRECKS BRITAIN’S “R-34."” TRANSATLANTIC DIRIGIBLE MA°E famous in July, 1919, by its remarkable 11-day round trip across the Atlantic Ocean, the great Brit- ish dirigible ‘‘R-34”" now lies a shattered ruin on the field dt Howden, England. Returning in a heavy gale of wind after a service flight a short time ago, the huge 665-ft. ship resisted all efforts to get it into its shed, and was finally moored in the open field. a condition practically beyond repair. In its exposed position, the buffeting of the storm soon reduced it to

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POPULAR TESTS FOR DANGER POINTS OF X-RAY OPERATION Persistent exposure to X-rays often re- in serious disease, and physicians, ntists, tube makers, and ers who habitually indle radiographic yes, are safe only when quately shielded. ens of sheet lead .1 to n. thick, or lead linings 1 booths and even for with windows of lead glass, are speci- proper protection, fluoroscope work perator should wear coverings of lead-impreg- 1 fabric over arms, and hands hese shields should tested periodically for re. A photographic pattern cut hin sheet lead laid is exposed against ill to be tested while be is operated, and he wall is safe, devel- nent shows no pattern film. A similar lm carried on the person ill indicate whether or ot the operator is being unconsciously posed. Examination of walls and reens with the fluoroscope while the tube works often reveals nail holes and other defects, which may be a source of rious danger to the operator. head, Vith a MEET OS et + on the THIRD ALL-METAL MAIL PLANE KILLS CREW IN CRASH Death by fire, trapped in the fuselage of an all-metal mail plane, was the fate of Pilots W. L. Carroll of Minneapolis, \rthur Rowe, Chicago, and Mechanician Robert B. Hill, Havana, IIl., just as they ere descending at Salzer Field, LaCrosse, Wis., the evening of February 9, after hav- ing flown the first leg of the course from Chicago to the Twin Cities. Witnesses of the accident differ in their testimony, some declaring that the machine burst into flames while at an altitude of about 600 ft., while others as stoutly maintain that the crash to earth preceded the fire. \lthough the result of the official investi- gation has not been made public at the present writing, the Post Office Depart- ment has announced that no more of these metal planes will be used in the service. MECHANICS 501 LOCOMOTIVE OILED AT NIGHT WITH ELECTRIFIED CAN The remarkable success of the small battery flashlight for a thousand unclassi- Using the Flashlight Oilcan for Lubricating a Locomotive at Night: An Excellent Example of the Tiny Battery Lamp’s Application as a Built-In Part of a Hand Tool. Insert at the Left: The Lamp-Tipped Oilcan with a Battery in Its Handle fied purposes is leading to its adoption for certain specific applications. The whole assembly of battery, lamp, reflector, and lens occupies so little space that it may readily be built i hand tool or in strument, without adding materially to it bulk or weight. An excellent example of such use is the locomotive oilcan which forms the motif of the cover picture this month. In this ingenious implement, the handle is the battery container, and th: thumb lever in one movement switches on the lamp at the valve. Inasmuch as the light flashes onl while the oil flows, and may be nected entirely for day use, no current wasted, and doubtless much oil is saved. into a 1 spout tip ind opens t disco HOUSES IN MODEL VILLAGE ARE ELECTRICALLY HEATED Seventy houses have three all-electric been built for the large English electric-power plant. The equip ment includes heating and cooking stove laundry apparatus, and other common household articles. Eme roe necies ar pro vided for by one chimney, so that coal may be used if P ° workers 1n a stoves necessary.

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SUITCASE LIMOUSINE USED TO TRANSPORT SHOW DOGS Small were carried to their places in the kennel exhibits of an eastern show dogs city, in a suitcase uphol stered and windowed like a 4 limousine. The carriers, built somewhat pyra- midal in shape and fitted with a carrying handle, make a very con- venient and safe eans of trans- porting the little canines. Passers-by get a casu- al glance at + The Dog Case is Car- ried with the Window Side Turned Forward to Give the Passer- By a CGlance at the Little Creatures prize winners when the window of the suitca turned in their direction in passing on the street and the conduct of the little dogs is always in the hands of their owners. se is sate WHEELLESS WHEELBARROW HAULS MAIL IN WINTER The wheel of a St. Johnsbury, Vt., from the railroad barrow, used in East for transporting mail station to the post This Wheelbarrow, with Runner, Carrying Mail in the Winter the Wheel Replaced by a is Used in a Vermont Town for POPULAR MECHANICS office, is detached in snowy weather, and a runner is applied in its place. Two wooden supports are bolted in the brack- ets designed to hold the wheel shaft. hese supports extend downward and come together at the bottom, forming a triangle, at the apex of which is applied the iron-shod runner. Needless to say, this contrivance is more easily propelled than a wheelbarrow. POISON GAS TO BE USED ON BOLL WEEVIL will be of eradicating the enemy of cotton. military gas fields of the lated to gases tried as a means boll weevil, the great A heavy barrage of the will be laid over the cotton South, with which it is calcu- exterminate the pests. These already have been used to good ad- vantage in the extermination of rats on seaport wharves, and it is said that after a 15-minute application, every rat in the gassed area was killed. The toxic-gas treatment is also to be applied to the locusts of the Philippine Islands, accord ing to the present arrangements of the Department of Agriculture. Poison gases EXPERIMENT TO DETERMINE STANDARD WHITE LIGHT A definite standard for white light is necessary for accurate color study, yet none ever has been established, because white is properly not a color, but a com- bination of colors. It is customary to accept sunlight as white, and Bureau of Standards experimenters find a practically white optical effect in the average noon sun at Washington, D. C. Flames and incandescent filaments, however, produce a perceptibly yellow light because of their lower temperature. It is theoretically computed that a temperature of about 9,000° F. would be required to produce a pure white light, and that a still higher temperature of the luminous body would introduce a blue tint. AUTO ATTACHMENT IS CAMP CHAIR, BED, AND TABLE Threefold are the uses of the automo- bile camping device originated by a Pa- cific-coast designer, for it is a combination of bed, chair, and table. The attachment consists of a series of foldable sections, at the end of which is a table having legs on the inside only. The table stands on a litle higher plane than the rest of the

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POPULAR MECHANICS 503 Bed Stretched Out and Seat Cushions in Place: The Table Is the Foot End of the Bed Showing Combination Camping Outfit When Folded and Carried at the Rear of the Car tie Min sections, and when used as a bed, the difference in space is made up by placing auto cushions on the lower part, which thus serve as a soft mattress. The table is used as the foot end of the bed and the two sections next are laid across with wooden slats, which may be moved back far enough By Sliding the Wooden Slats Back, comes a Comfortable Seat the Combination Be and a Table to make a good seat at the table. The head end is slightly raised to provide a good resting position for the sleeper. A box is suspended beneath the bed frame, in which can be stored clothing, etc. The outfit, when folded, is completely out of the way and view of the autoists. The box carrying the clothing, etc., is rein- forced and held in place by two triangular- shaped brackets. Thus the heavy box does not cause the frame to sag. SAFETY PLATFORM AND SEAT AID WORK ON WINDOWS The usually unpleasant task of washing, painting, or puttying the outside of win- dows is made both safe and comfortable by two new accessories. One is a small boxed platform that hangs from an exten- sion bar set into the window sash, with a high skeleton frame of iron that protects the worker standing inside it. A board placed through the top of the frame makes a higher platform for reaching the top of the window. One of these plat- forms, in a test, supported over 1,100 Ib. without giving. The second attachment is a windowssill seat, 16 in, deep, with a low back, which fastens in place in the same way as the platform. Both the at- tachments are adjustable to the window width, and are quickly set in place, or as quickly detached and shifted. Left: The New Working Platform Hung from a Window Casing. Right: The Window Washer’s Seat, Made on the Same Principle

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504 POPULAR MECHANICS NEW CLOCK IS TIMEKEEPER DISHWASHING-MACHINE BUYER FOR SHORT OPERATIONS PROVES ITS EFFICIENCY Boiling eggs, developing photographs, or \s proving the very real efficiency and any other operation that requires short but desirability of the mechanical way of accurate account of time, may be allowed washing dishes, a series of tests recent), ss a S~C~*é 1 ) } int { 1 asses j 2m i im 1 t i ? » 1 ur r 1 ¢ ; , i ley : 2 lar hen 21 ica | J 2 j Ta I l 3 Ta i to 1 1) T 2 WA ING AND DRYING BY HAND 1 ater 1 I 1 ’ P i of Wa 1 | et ) " : Ea D be tae Bae a Ir lu ? ' ‘ it ‘ | pan) ° 1] Left: The Clockworks, Showing Alarm Mechanism. Washing and drying dish cloths, Right, Top: The Clock Complete. Bot- et 1 tom: Section, Showing Gong Total 1 \ Add (1 168 to proceed without attention through

the use of a novel clock rec ntly patent d. ais : M hy HINE WASHING AND DRYING | The 4-in. dial is at the top, and in the — piace wishes in machine. rT: lower part of the case is a Vertical scale, ” ( seeutln sends panes et o" No time taken reading up to YO minutes in one-minute a SE See ee om divisions, and carrying a small slide that Dishes are left in machine until is set by hand. At the-end of the period have been thoroughly dried set, a 4-in. gong on the back rings until gti ge BR , a. it is shut off. Though a valuable addition Sees -— a re egg to the home kitchen, the new timekeeping (3) Add for dishes taker a clock is intended especially as a labor-sav- oe at ing accessory for hotel and restaurant 113 operations kitchens, photo galleric 5, laboratories. and — — ' — o mee : mea = other places where the measurement of wees ninutes is needed. It was found, furthermore, that the —— machine’s capacity for washing the in BOXES MADE OF GREEN LUMBEER _ side of bottles was more than human, and LOSE STRENGTH RAPIDLY that greasy pots and pans, with the aid of a washing powder supplied with the Packing boxes made of properly sea- apparatus, promptly became spotless with soned lumber are found to resist rough out any of the usual unpleasant effort. handling six to ten times as well as those \s the machine’s capacity was sufficient made of green lumber. The reason. as for the dishes of two meals, it was a demonstrated by the Forest Products simple matter to reduce the number of Laboratory, is that the fibers of the moist operations still further. As a result, the wood shrink away from the nails as the housewife’s total gain amounted to two stock dries, and so lose their grip. hours a day, or even more.

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POPULAR MECHANICS Ri “ } IO Oe, i * 505 The 16-Cylinder 1,000 Horsepower British Aerial Engine “Cub,” Viewed from the Timing-Gear End: The Valves are Operated by Overhead Cam Shafts Which are, in Turn, Driven by Bevel Gears and Shafts Connecting with the Timing Gears BRITISH TEST 1,000-HORSEPOWER AERO ENGINE What may be regarded as the biggest advance of recent years in aero engines is the British Air Force “Cub” engine. The design is entirely new; it has 16 cylinders in four groups of four each in an X-formation, the “V” at the bot tom being wider than the one above. On its testing on the bench it developed 1,057 hp., and ran for 20 consecutive hours, this being the standard running test. The engine weighs just under one ton, new thus giving one horsepower for two pounds in weight. The cost of this ex perimental model was around £5,000, or about $25,000. Ten of the engines have been ordered by the British air ministry. It is proposed to fit two of them to the fly- ing boat “Titania,” a huge air destroyer now nearing completion, in place of four 600-hp. engines, as originally intended, The “Titania” will have a range of 1,500 miles and would carry 50 passengers easily. The total cost will be about $125,000. Probably as a result of the success of this engine and the recent accidents with every airships, the ministry has decided to sus- pend experiments with lighter-than-air machines for war purposes. Experts are already talking about 5,000-hp. flying boats, carrying 250 passengers for trans- atlantic flights. It is estimated that the new engine will make travel by airplane as cheap as ground transport. DANGER IN OPENING POWDER KEGS WITH WOODEN TOOLS Opening a wooden keg of black blasting powder with a woods n tool might appear to be the safest of methods, vet the U. S. Bureau of Mines call iS attention to a num- ber of serious accidents resulting from the practice. The habit in many places has been to drive a hardwood _ spike through the head of the keg, and in se\ eral instances the ignition of the powder has directly followed. The cause remains unexplained, though any one of a number of actions may be responsible. Because of the demonstrated danger, it is recom- mended that powder be extracted from its kegs only by way of the bunghole, even if more time is required.

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506 REINFORCING GLOBES CUTS STREET-LIGHT COSTS Broken globes as a result of flying peb- bles, birds with a bad sense of direction, ¢ & B melee Dats POPULAR MECHANICS FISH MARKET THAT COMES TO THE DOOR OF THE TRADE A spacious, pneumatic-tired truck, elec- trically lighted, and with all the other RE rad The Traveling Fish Market Gives the Buyer an Opportu- nity to Look Over the Wares. It is Equipped with Regular Show Windows and the En- trance Is at the Front End necessities of an up-to date fish market, now carries the choice foods Counter Room is Provided for Five or Six Patrons at a Time. i ster and Scale. is Also Equipped with Cash Regi Arrangement Provides Plenty of Light and numerous other causes, have led the city of Oakland, Calif., to reinforce the glass on their electric street-light fixtures. A hole is drilled through the top of the globe and a threaded rod is inserted in such a way as to make the threaded end cf the rod engage the threads of a tapped hole in the base, leaving the op- posite end protruding through the hole in the top, thus effecting a reinforcement. An art knob ornaments the visible end of the reinforcing rod. Maintenance costs have been reduced materially since the reinforcing began. globe The Window of the sea to the people in Atlantic City. The traveling market is equipped with display windows and is capable of carrying 2,000 lb. of —— = fish. Five or six patrons The Market can be waited upon, for oa Die the sales floor is large anddeftly arranged. This form of marketing will find great favor among those who reside in the suburbs and outlying sections, as it will supply fresh products direct to the home without the necessity of trips to town. @ Two huge gold stars, formed with 1,600 yellow tulips, will decorate a plot of ground in Schenley Park, Pittsburgh, this spring, in honor of the city’s lost fight ing men. The Service Star Mothers of Democracy of County, Pennsylvania, is symbolical flowerbeds. Legion Allegheny planting the

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| COMMENT»? REVIEW | [These pages were printed February 24, 1921] | these latter days not all the czarism has been confined to Russia. Tech- nically, the original line of czars is no more, but their ambition to wield self- || conferred powers has fallen like a blighting mantle on others, less royal, but I who share the same egotistic, and frequently as senseless, desire 1 to show their authority. The public are—and to their sorrow— years. It is to be most earnestly hoped the new administration will, as speedily as possible, afford relief in both departments. It is perhaps difficult to establish the line where a Post- ‘| master-General, or a Commissioner of Patents, may be said to exceed the utmost || authority which it was ever intended he should exercise. It would not be so | rankly unjust even, if those who find themselves under a ban due to the personal || whim of an official, only had some chance of appealing from his “ruling”; but both the Post Office Department and Patent Office are virtually a law unto themselves; wielding the power both to make the rules, which practically are laws, to administer these laws, making their own interpretation of them, and to enforce peremptory and extreme penalties, also of their own selection. There is technically a right of appeal in some cases, but even this is so limited and sur- rounded by so many barriers, costs so much in money, and can be prolonged so many years, that the patient seldom can hope to survive the ordeal. As an actual matter of fact, there is now practically no relief from the whim of the monarch who sits upon the throne of either of these two departments. Of late, the Commissioner of Patents, ostensibly to purge the bar of his department of alleged unscrupulous patent lawyers, whom for short he classes as “sharks,” has assumed to decide who are sharks and who are the elect. Failing in all other ways to satisfy his own mind, he autocratically ruled that the patent lawyer who advertised in any way whatever, immediately became a suspect in the shark class, and, conversely, those who did not advertise were entitled, for that reason if no other, to a clean bill of health. The fact that during the past 15 years only one patent lawyer who advertised has been disbarred, and that in | the same period nine were disbarred who did not advertise, seems not to have ‘|| meant anything to him. Indeed, it is a grand tribute to the hundreds, probably several thousand, patent lawyers in this country that so few, less than a paltry dozen, in all the 15 years, for all causes combined, were deemed unworthy to continue practice. How many other occupations of trust—doctors, bankers, editors, and so on—can show any better, or as good a record? But now any patent lawyer who wants to advertise, automatically becomes a candidate for the rack and guillotine. Fair-minded people will be glad to have the facts revealed. Here are a few samples: First, the commissioner takes the position that all patent lawyers who adver- tise are dishonest, and all who do not advertise are honest. A high-school boy knows better. The commissioner has the power to disbar any attorney guilty of “gross misconduct.” Until now this meant dishonesty, neglect of duty toward a client, breach of trust, etc. Now it also means any practice on the part of an attorney that does not meet with the commissioner’s own particular fancy. He has power to change the rules from day to day—and some of these rules are not directed against dishonesty, breach of trust, misrepresentation, willful neglect, etc.—and then to bring these rules within the limits of the statute, he decreed that a violation of these rules would be considered “gross misconduct,” but having made these rules, he applied them only to those attorneys who happened to use printed letters, pamphlets, advertisements in periodicals, or printed matter of any kind in soliciting business. Even the use of a self-addressed return envelope ia was forbidden. An advertising patent lawyer, having replied to a letter of inquiry, however important, and not hearing from the prospective client, must not write him a second time. With all the letters which the post office missend, delay, or lose, this is a preposterous rule and an unwarranted denial of the rights of any citizen. Nor must the advertising attorney send out to clients and prospective Ruling fairly familiar with the fiats of the Post Office Department. || we They are not so well acquainted with the autocratic condition » | Rul into which the Patent Office has fallen during the past two ules 1} +) clients any likeness of the members of the firm, nor use any cut of the building WN he occupies, unless the entire building is used exclusively for the patent business +i >—— == 155 507

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508 POPULAR MECHANICS _— = a = ‘ | of the attorney. One firm in Washington erected a building for their own use, \ and occupied it all for patent work, except a small portion of the first floor, which was rented as a candy store. They must not use a picture of their building in any publicity matter. A nonadvertising attorney may make a search of the Patent Office records, for a prospective client, free of charge; but if an advertising attorney does so for the same man, at the same time, for the same device, it is * “gross misconduct,” punishable with disbarment. Services which must not be advertised in any way are: secrecy of the in- ventor’s idea; to promise the services of all the staff necessary or desirable; to offer to suggest mechanical improvements (a large proportion of devices patented in the last 30 years would have been failures but for this help). An attorney ad must not refer to specific instances of this kind of service rendered; must not publish names of clients to whom fees were returned when the lawyer found the patent when issued would be worthless (I know one firm which alone refunded $11,160.20 in two years in this way, and they were advertising attorneys-—but they must not mention the fact); must not offer the services of the private printing plant, which some attorneys have, even though the cost is less to the client; must not offer to pass on to inventors, nor mail them, copies of hundreds of letters constantly received from established manufacturers anxious to pur- | chase patents for use; nor to publish any letters of recommendation. As this discrimination is specifically directed against advertising lawyers only, the natural question arises, ‘‘Then why advertise?” The answer is that, unless employed by the year by some manufacturer, the volume of patent business is too small to support a patent lawyer except in the large cities. This provides the inventor in such places with the opportunity to confer at any time. But what of the thousands of inventors scattered on farms, in mines, in small towns all over the land? Are they to be deprived of their rightful chance, simply because | they happen to be 3,000 miles from Washington, or 300 miles from any patent lawyer? Those who have had occasion to do business with Washington quickly | found out they needed a lawyer who usually went there himself, or employed | a Washington lawyer to really do the work. There is only one place where complete and absolutely dependable information regarding a patent can be obtained and that is in the Patent Office at Washington. There are no branches like mints and revenue departments; it is all there and nowhere else. And the Patent Office affords no service to the intending patentee. Hence a struggling inventor in the mountains of Tennessee or Idaho can seldom afford the cost of sending a lawyer to Washington. The logical, economical, even the only thing he can possibly afford is to employ a reputable patent lawyer living w:thin | | walking distance of the Patent Office—and what opportunity has such an inventor | to know the address of such an one? Morals aside, no reputable mechanical | periodical, such as inventors read, can afford, and so far as I know, none of them do, carry the advertisement of any patent lawyer they would not unhesitat- | ingly trust with their own business. In the realm of patents it is a relic of blue- law days and an absolute absurdity that there should be anything unethical in advertising one’s equipment in the line of talent, his previous history in the busi- ness, his record in assisting inventors to sales of their patents, the distribution of news of inventions actually needed and wanted, or the promise to refund unearned fees. This last is heresy to lots of lawyers, but at least it is honest. These things are precisely what the inventor wants to know, ought to know, is entitled to know, and the Patent Commissioner says to all this, “‘No.” That grand document, the Constitution of the United States, particularly intended not only to encourage inventors but also to provide facilities which would afford even the humblest inventor of the most insignificant device, all the protection a great government can provide. We are now a long way from the Con- stitution when a Patent Commissioner recently announced his policy that appli- cations for patent are to be filed by inventors of known ability and that others would be discouraged. Fortunately, Bell patented his telephone before the present policy was announced. It is to be hoped the new administration will promptly introduce some common sense and justice into a bureau months behind in its work and millenniums ahead with its red tape and childish notions. H. H. WINDSOR iss— — S19

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BRITISH RETURNED-SOLDIER PROSPECTORS FIND RICH ORE Headed by a practical prospector and with the backing of. the provincial govern- ment of British Columbia, 15 parties of returned- oldier prospectors are searching the western Canada hills for gold and other rich ores. The chief aim of the government is to develop the resources of her western domain nd also develop a good type of prospector. Much iluable information is gleaned by the amateur prospectors, and many specimens containing promise of rich reward brought, back ore ave been POPULAR MECHANICS | 9 BIG SMOKING CIGAR ON TRUCK ADVERTISES TOBACCONIST A huge cigar, made of painted sheet mounted metal with papier-maché ashes, by them. The men mak- 1! ng discoveries will share their strikes with the government, and many claims already have been staked. CAN USE CONVERTIBLE TABLE FOR DRAFTING OR WRITING Students especially will be interested in a recently invented table that can be used for either casas — drafting or writing. Ar- ranged -as a writing desk, the top is horizontal, and the height The Table Ar- ranged as a Level- Top Writing Desk of Regular Height. Above: Raised and Inclined to Re- ceive a Drafting Board, Held by Folding Flanges The Big Sheet-Metal Cigar in the Back Engine-Exhaust Pipe, — est...» =-_ is standard. For drawing, the cross legs re adjusted, by means of notched support- ing bars, until the top is raised and in- clined at the proper angle for a drafting board. A flange at the front edge of the top holds the board in place, and another at the back edge forms a groove for pens. of the Auto is Connected to the and the Driver Makes It Smoke at Will lowa to- auto, attracts more curious attention than is usually given to an ad- vertising novelty by reason of the stream of smoke that issues from it at inter vals. One of the supporting legs is hollow, and connected through a valve to the y's exhaust pipe. By ad- justing the gasoline feed to produce a smoky exhaust, the driver is able to make the big counterfeit weed puff away at will. in the box bacconist’s on legs body of an cut-out aute GERMAN CITIES TO BUILD SKYSCRAPER DWELLINGS A project aimed toward the solution of the vexing dwelling-shortage puzzle by the city government of Munich is the erec- tion of enormous buildings, on city-owned property, surrounded by spacious plazas, in thinly populated neighborhoods. They will be decorative as well as massive, and are expected to be the show places of their particular centers. With this in mind, building restrictions in the vicinity will prohibit the erection of buildings other than homes. The first of the huge struc- tures will be of reinforced concrete with a main portion, 12 to 13 stories in height, surmounted in the center by a round tur- retlike tower of an equal additional height, giving the whole an elevation of 25 stories. While not to be compared with the Wool- worth, Metropolitan, or Singer buildings for height, the new German structures will be remarkable in that they will be for dwelling purposes and for the further fact that they will stand alone.

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510 POPULAR ROCK-BREAKING PRESS TESTS ROAD-MAKING MATERIALS Testing the resistant qualities of rock used in road building has heretofore held an element of inaccuracy because of the difficulty of producing sample pieces ofuniform size and shape. The govern- ment’s road bureau now has adopted a simple forcing press, in which the granite or other block is squeezed be- tween two vertical cal jaws with a pres ure up to 20,000 Ib. a test block weighing coni- With this machine, 5,000 grams (11 lb.) is readily divided into 50 approximate cubes, of 85 to 115 grams each. Using these pieces for abrasion tests, the resistance to wear may be ascer- tained with an accuracy of .3 per cent. With the former method of breaking the blocks by hand, deviations as great as 8 to .9 per cent were the rule. HOT CARBON-POINT IGNITER STARTS OIL ENGINES EASILY A carbon-pencil heating unit, designed to be used in the hot-bulb combustion chambers of semi-Diesel engines when starting them, is calculated to take the place of the resistance-coil type of igniters MECHANICS used heretofore. Owing to the high re- sistance of the pencil, it becomes white-hot very quickly when an electric current is passed through it. The heat then radiates to the bottom of an inclosing metal cas- ing, forming a hot spot which fires the fuel almost instantly. The inventor of the new igniter claims that it will start a semi-Diesel engine in 30 seconds from the dead-cold state. As the carbon is not damaged by heat, it is not necessary to withdraw the device from the hot bulb. THREE-PASSENGER AUTO SLED HAS MOTORCYCLE DRIVE An enterprising motorcycle dealer it l Indiana has demonstrated the year-round practicability of the two-wheeled vehicle by equipping one with two runners in place of the front wheel, and a body which seats two passengers comfortably. The driver's seat occupies the usual location. A stock motorcycle engine supplies t! power through the medium of the con ventional chain to the rear wheel. From the engine forward, the design is distinctly original. A quite heavy frame replac the regular member, and is equipped at the front end with a standard-width auto mobile front axle and steering knuckles, to which the runners are attached. The regulation linkage connects the knuckles to an automobile steering gear and wheel. A hoodlike extension of the body toward the front carries out the motor-car idea, but is hollowed out to form a wind tunnel which, passing between the seats, directs a cold-air blast directly onto the engine. Current for a searchlight on the dash is supplied by a small generator and storage battery. Speeds of 45 to 50 miles an hour are claimed for the contrivance. A Three-Passenger Auto Sled Which Attains Speeds of 45 to 50 Miles an Hour: The Runners Are of Standard Tread and are Mounted on Regulation Steering Knuckles. Sections of Chain around the Rear Wheel Insure Traction. Left: The Power Plant, Fuel and Oil Tanks, Gear-Shift Lever, and Steering Wheel. Note That the Throttle and Spark-Control Levers are Placed Directly under the Wheel

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POPULAR ad [ECHANICS

Arn BELT DEVICE MAKES ENDLESS- TREAD TRACTOR OF AUTO by mean ota recently invented belt to be applied around the wheels, any aut ybile can be converted into a tractor oi endless-tread type. Spaced at equal ( ils along the belt are metal cleat hich reach completely around it so that is ke pt spread to its full width at mes. TI made with smoot n are STHOOTHIY surfaces on the sides se curved next to th res in order that the latter may not | lamaged. T ylementary axles, e: mounting wheels, are tached > } | 5 ‘ : | : ie | rs «|

In the New Bathtub the Occupant Takes a Sit- ; ting Position; the Foot | Well may be Used Alone |

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SIGNAL BOARD SPEEDS BATTERY SERVICE BY JOHN ANSON FORD

“Sa The manner in which the signal board is used in connection with this system can best be ex- plained by following a customer through the station. As he enters the “horseshoe” driveway that runs through the building, he is greeted by an attendant who in- quires his needs, and makes an entry in dupli- cate, or triplicate, on a tab. This shows the customer's need, and has blanks on which charges later are to be entered. If the patron wishes his battery tested, this is noted on the tab and also the number of one of the vacant stalls. There are

a Pa ere 3? stalls j > station The Attendant Lights a Colored Bulb on the Lower Board That Indicates 82 stalls in the station, the New Customer’s Needs, and the Upper Board Shows Which Stalls in the all ranged around the Station are Empty, so That One may be Promptly Assigned and the New- comer Given His Ticket AN especially designed electric-signal board which notifies the staff of the <ind of service wanted by arriving custom ers has been installed in a new battery- service station in Los Angeles. The new apparatus has been one of the principal factors in speeding up the service so that now the patrons can be taken care of at the rate of about one a minute. All noise and confusion and errors in waiting on the wrong persons, are eliminated by reason of this signal board. Before the same force of men moved into the present quarters, 375 cars a day was their best record. Now they have waited on as many as 500 cars a day.

When a man drives into a battery-service sta- tion his wants fall within one of three classes: He will want his_ battery tested, or changed, or he will want the services of an ignition expert to at- tend to faulty wiring or some related’ trouble. This classification of customers has been rec- ognized in the establish- ment, and accordingly the force of men is divided into three corresponding groups. 512 “horseshoe.” The custom- er is then handed one copy of this memorandum and asked to drive his car into stall 31, for instance; the attendant’s duties, so far as this customer is concerned, are finished by pressing one of three buttons under number 31 ona rectangular panel close by. Pressing this button causes a red light to shine on the large signal board, hung high on the wall of the garage in sight of the entire service T2345 C7 RB@IOKRUN BEB BON NNBM GBH 32 4 3 0472 4 46 @ SO S2 S3 4-55 Sé SP_SB S9 60 Gi G2 63 64 5 G66? 68 69 70 Ti 72 T3 14 7S 16 17 78 79 BO BI 82

Three Bulbs of Different Color, under Each Number on the Wall Board, Tell the Kind of Service Required by the Car in the Corresponding Stall staff. Men awaiting assignment occupy a central area railed off for the purpose.

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Ir spec tion Booths Where Customers are Shown the Insides of Their Batteries and Defects are Pointed Out by the Rubber-Gloved Sales- | man: The Battery Covers are Steamed Off in the Room Just Beyond, and the Cells Brought In, after Which the Communicating , dow, Seen Open, is Closed to Exclude Fumes The Big Tank behind the Two Men 1 the Foreground Contains Acid Solution for the Batteries, Which s Piped to All Parts of the Station. ‘urnace for Melting Old Lead The Big Force of Service Men, Ignition Experts, and Battery Changers, Three Distinct Groups, Are under the Direction of the “Service Dispatcher,””’ Who Watches the Signal Board and Assigns Men from the Bench at the Left Foreground, or from Other Parts of the House. In the Booth behind the Dispatcher are Kept the Cards Which Show the History of Every Battery Received for Repairs, Recharging, or Other Attention

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514 POPULAR The color of the light indicates that a customer in stall 31 is waiting to have his battery tested. If a yellow light had appeared under that number on the board, it would have indicated that an ignition q MECHANICS Systematization of the work is carried still farther by having all the men in charge of a “service dispatcher.” None of the men go onto a job until directed by this man. At all times the board shows —— him how many cars are waiting to be attended to. As soon as a service man starts on a job he pushes a button at the head of the stall (one of three corresponding to the three signal lights), which extinguishes the light shining under the number in the wall signal. This informs the dis- patcher that the customer is being waited on. This extinguishing of the col- ored light does not mean that the stall is empty, however. The board beside the attendant at the entrance is so constructed that it shows every stall that is occupied until the occupants check out at al the exit. When 31’s battery has SS been tested, or some other serv- 1 Presses a Button to Stall Signal, and If Neces- sary, alls a Mechanic @ to Rectify_ Errors. The Ignition Expert's Work- bench-Truck, Carry- ing Instruments and Tools expert was wanted. The lighting of a green bulb indicates that the customer wants his battery changed. ice rendered, the man on the job Above: The Attendant Deposits the takes the notation on the cus- Outgoing Car’s Memo Card in the Box, Clear the tomer’s slip and directs him to pay the charges at the cashier’s window, located near the center of the horseshoe. After paying the bill, the patron returns to his car and drives out. As he approaches the exit, he stops his car and delivers his receipted memo- randum to another attendant. The latter drops this completed memorandum into a box, and at the same time presses a but- ton on a signal panel close beside him, the particular button in this case being No. 31, which will “clear” stall 31 on the en- trance attendant’s board. As stated above, largely because of this remarkable system, the station is able to care for one cus- tomer every minute, on the average. Another important, though quite simple, feature which promotes timesaving is the use of especially designed trucks by the service attendants. The ignition men, for example, take with them on each assign- ment a rubber-wheeled truck containing practically everything that they will need for the ordinary ignition job. Here 1 apparatus for making tests of the wiring, an electric soldering iron, voltmeter, etc. Drawers beneath the top of the truck con- tain screws, nuts, bolts, fuses, etc.—every- thing that an electrician will need for any job that can be done without removing the. parts from the car. In case the customer’s battery is in such condition that he needs a new one, the sta- tion’s inspection division is utilized. This consists of booths of special design, each 3"

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POPULAR MECHANICS 515 ntaining a table and seats where the From these vats run lead and rubber pipes tomer and salesman can inspect the’ to various parts of the building, so that tery. While the customer is being the fluid can be drawn directly into the vn to a booth, his battery is wheeled receptacles which need it. This feature » an inclosure behind a partition which eliminates much waste and damage due . parates it and the inspection booths. to spilling of the acid. lere, by the application of live stean Another labor-saving feature is a triple yma boiler, the wax holding the top of | chute from the second floor to a walled he battery in place 1s melted, and the con in area just off the alley. This chute leads tents of the various cells are lifted up for from the benches where old batteries are ° mination. Then the dismembered bat taken apart to be sent to the junk heap. tery 1S placed ona zinc-top tray mounted Instead of throwing all the old parts 1n 1 track, which leads through a small one pile, the wooden cases are thrown iy in the partition mentioned above down one chute, the lead parts down an id terminates on the table at which the other, and the terminals down a third. tomer is seated. After the battery has This classification of the “junk” enables een rolled into place for inspection, the the proprietor to secure much _ better vay through which it passed is prices for his discarded material. Ever ed, leaving the customer and the sales thing from the old batteries is not throw1 man entirely to themselves to discuss the away in this manner, however, such parts rms of sale or the cost of repairs. of the lead as are worth saving be ing Che benches where the rental batteries stripped from the old batteries and melted | batteries of individual customers are’ in a furnace provided for the purpose. charged have a capacity for nearly 1,000 Systematic handling of customers’ 1 ; itteries. These are kept separate from has also been extended to th matter ot batteries, which are handled in large keeping accounts. \t a booth in tl ti on the second floor. center of the ma noo 1 clerk k manv cases batteries need a supply track of each batts ry brought into the of acid. In the handling of this liquid, house, and as fast as work progr on thi ervice station has introduced a set it, entrie re 1 le on the proper card, of three vats of 100-gal. capacity in wv enabling a patron to ascertain at anv time the station’s entire supply of acid is kept. just the condition his battery is in. — mn . =— STUDENTS IN CITY COLLEGE INSPECT MUNICIPAL WORKS Alt of Chicago—a city in many ways a monument to the genius of the engineer—is a textbook for the engineering pupils of the free municipal college now maintained by the Board of Education as an offshoot of one of the great technical high schools. In the photograph, for example, the “Engineer’s Club,” formed of honor students, is seen on a recent visit of inspection to the canals which drain the rivers of the vicinity into the Mississippi system. Membership in this student organization is open to both sexes.

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POPULAR MECHANICS Money-Delivery Truck Built of Steel: The Absence of Run- ning Boards Is One of the Features In- tended to Balk Would-Be Robbers RELAY PROTECTS VACUUM TUBE OF WIRELESS DETECTOR Not infrequently the filaments of vacuum-tube wireless detectors are burned out by excess current allowed to flow through them, making expensive re- newals neces- sary. It is possible now to do away Sr are a ~ ‘ Pi Sead with this loss and annoy- ance by the use of a new form of cut- out relay which acts, as soon as too much current flows, to shut off the detec- tor filament and substitute a common small lamp bulb, whose light warns the operator to reduce the current. The in- strument consists of a simple electro- magnet, hung vertically in an iron frame, with a gravity armature pivoted below its core. A spring in the path of the arma- ture makes contact for the detector when it is down, and’ when it is drawn up, breaks the contact and connects in circuit the small lamp, mounted on top of the frame. The device may be used to protect ther kinds of circuits besides wireless. MONEY-DELIVERING TRUCK ARMED LIKE A WAR TANK A truck built with floors and walls of steel, and made without running boards, in order to prevent attempts to hang on and ride, has been specially built for a Cleveland bank for the purpose of carry- ing money. To make the carrier more nearly burglar-proof, a steel screen has been laid between the panes of the driver cab windows, which are double-ply. Spe- cial locks and keys, as well as a special selection of artillery including a_ sub- machine gun, make the truck a veritable tank. The car may be stopped by those in the rear should the driver become dis- abled. MORE PENETRATING X-RAYS RIVAL RADIUM FOR CANCER Recent discoveries by Dr. William Duane, professor of biophysics at Har- vard University, while conducting re- search experiments with X-rays, are expected to bring about far-reachirg changes in the treatment of cancer. A\l- though the rays have been used for years in this work, latterly they have given way to radium for the reason that this sub stance, in very small containers, can be applied directly to the deadly tumor, while the slower X-rays are largely absorbed by the body tissues before they can reach and act upon the growth. It is believed that this objection has been overcome, as a result of the research work, by the pro- duction of a ray of vastly greater penetra-

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POPULAR tive power than any hitherto available. (he voltage used in generating the pow- erful new rays is quite close to the 150,000- volt limit which the X-ray tube is capable of withstanding without breaking down. ICEBOUND SEAPLANE MAROONS CREW FIFTEEN HOURS Being marooned for 15 hours within ight of land, but as effectually as though they were a thousand miles away, was the novel experience of a seaplane crew of men when their big machine set- tled among the ice floes of Raritan Bay, ff Key Port, N. J., one day last winter. \fter a two-hour flight in preparation for run to Miami, Fla., the pilot attempted to descend, but found the fairway choked great ice floes which would have been certain to wreck the frail craft. However, the descent was unavoidable, and was made without mishap in the clearest space that could be found. Then ensued the bat- tle to reacl which was given up when the he Iple ss machine became frozen in immovably. \ rescue boat put out to as- tance but was driven back by damage to its rudder. Finding themselves hopelessly cut off for the night, but in no immediate danger, the crew slept in the fuse- lage. Late the next day a motor- hoat succeeded in breaking a way to the luckless plane with a load of provisions and axes. After be- ing freed from its ice moorings, the |} towed to safety, seven ] shore, big flier was MECHANICS 517 FIG-EATING ANTS DROWNED IN MOAT AROUND TREE After having tried poisons, sticky fly- paper, and other means to eradicate the pests, a Cali- fornia fig grower has re- sorted to the use of a small concrete moat in which to drown the fig- eating ants of that section. A ditch is dug around the base of the fig tree. Its depth is not so important as long as it holds a sufficient quantity of water. The ditch is therefore made rather wide in proportion to its depth, and is lined with cement mot tar. Before the attacking ants can reach the figs, they are drowned in the wate filling the miniature moat. WIDE WORLD PHOTOS The Big Seaplane in the Grip of the Ice Floes: the Machine Free, Preparatory After Spending an Uneasy 15 Hours aboard the Helplese Craft, the Crew Chopped It Loose with Axes Brought by a Rescue Party. Above: Chopping to Towing It Ashore

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MEASURING STAR DIAMETERS IN REMOTE SPACE By PAUL H. WOODRUFF T is a curious circumstance diameters of the most remote s pressed in millions of miles, should that the tars, ex- be a half adjustable in width and separation. If the two beams through the slits differ by wave length when they meet below the cap, they inter- fere, producing “fringes” of light and darkness. By separating the slits until the fringes disappear and measuring the separation, the minute angle of the heavens covered by the disk of a star may be computed. Knowing the star's distance, obtained by triangulation, calculat ing its diameter is simple. Professor Michelson improved upon the slit method by using two mirrors and two reflect- ing glasses at an angle, one of them slightly sil- vered to reflect half the light and transmit the other half. This appara tus measures small an Above: Professor Michelson Using His ‘Interferometer’ for Measuring the Diameter of Stars. At the Right: A Diagram of the Instrument’s Optical System. The Incom- ing Beam of Light at the Top First Strikes the Upper Inclined Glass, Which is Slightly Silvered, and Re- flects Half the Beam to the Right, Transmitting the Other Half Down through the Second Inclined Glass to the Bottom Mirror. This Returns It, and It is Re- flected to the Left. The Mirror to the Right Also Returns Its Half Beam to the Left, Where They Join, but Are Half a Wave Length Apart Because of the Ad- justment of Glasses and Mirrors gles with an accuracy of .0001 of a second of arc, roughly equivalent to M42 in. at 1,000 miles. This is the instrument with which Betelgeuse, 180 light years or 1,070,000,- 000,000,000 miles was measured. Using the new “inter- ferometer” with the 8-ft. reflecting telescope at Mt. Wilson observatory, in- teresting discoveries have been made _ concerning away, the distant star Capella, successfully measured with the sa that is used to determine milliont inch in laboratories interference of light is the prin- ciple used in the instrun both purposes, and with Prof. A. A. Michelson recently discovered that the star Betel- geuse, in the constellation Orion, is 260,000,000 miles in diameter, or as broad as 300 suns, with a mass equal to 27,000,000 suns! Students of physics know that a beam of light, passing the edge of an opaque screen, is slightly deflected, the extent depending on the wave length. To use this diffraction principle, the telescope is closed by a cap with two slits, ents for its aid The phenomenon of me ruler hs of an which is really two stars so close together that they appear as one. These celestial twins are found to be about 80,000,000 miles apart, a space so small Typical Interference Patterns Obtained by Photographing Two Artificial Stars of the Same Magnitude, with Optical Slits or Interferometer Openings Rotated to Different Angular Positions

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POPULAR compared with their distance that its ngle of .045 second corresponds to 5 ft. on the earth as viewed from the sun, they revolve around each other in an orbit of about 160,000,000 miles in 104 days, and in size they are roughly equal to 44% and 34% times the sun. DOUBLE-CHAIN DRIVE SAVES COTTON-MILL TROUBLE Chains used to drive the traverse mechanism of spinning frames in cotton mills are prone to break occasionally, causing loss of production, damage to rolls and rails, and waste of material. In a newly patented system the driving chain is double. Breakage of the chain carrying the load automatically causes the second chain to slip to the center and continue the work without interruption. Practical mill men have estimated that an average of one broken chain a month means a total production loss of $108, without considering other damage. The new pro- tective device already is installed in a number of southern cotton mills. LOCOMOTIVE TRANSFER TABLE SHIFTS ENGINES QUICKLY The repair shops of the Chicago, Mil- waukee and St. Paul Railroad are using a motor-driven transfer table to move engines to different points in the shop in fast time. The table is operated like a strett car, having a trolley and running on four rails. The engines are pulled onto the transfer car by a winch, provided for the purpose, and are conveyed to the de- sired point for removal. MECHANICS 519 DEVICE CONVERTS PORTABLE DRILL INTO DRILL PRESS A new workbench fitting, to which a portable drill may be attached to make a combination that serves all the purposs of a medium- weight drill press, even to drilling into the ends of 4- ft. lengths of shafting, is of- fered to the metal-work- ing trades. Ascending from a heavy cast-iron base, bolted solidly to the work- bench,isa strong shaft upon which is a vertically sliding mem- ber, forming a bracket for the portable- drill body. The latter is attached to it by means of one bolt and a light quick-action clamp ing band. The device is installed at one end of the bench in order that, when the bracket is rotated on the shaft, the drill body may project several inches beyond the bench end, thus allowing a_ wide clearance between the drill and the floor. The Locomotives are Pulled onto the Transfer Table by Means of a Winch. The Table Then Moves to the Designated Point and the Locometive Is Removed. The Transfer Table Runs on Four Rails

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520 POPULAR CAST-STEEL ORANGE-PEEL GRAB NONSPRINGING Many orange-peel grab buckets are dis- carded by contractors and construction The Orange-Peel Grab Bucket Is Cast Steel Throughout. When the Orange-Peel Parts are Drawn Together, the Load of Fine Material is Held Securely, For the Cast Parts cannot be Sprung MECHANICS engineers because of have become sprung load of fine material. Is now being the fact that they and do not hold a A cast-steel bucket marketed which cannot be sprung. The segments, or the orange-peel parts, from which it gets its name, are of cast steel and are rigidly affixed to the hinges, or the upright connections, which are also made of channel-shaped cast The closing chain does not cross as it winds, and thus the full closing pres- sure is always maintained. The tips of the segments are of manganese steel and can be removed for sharpening. Most orange- peel grabs have been made of rolled metal products up to the present time, steel. @Stereopticon slides to the number of 2,000, depicting animal, insect, and plant life, are now available for use in Chicago schools, through an arrangement with the curator of the Museum of Natural His tory of the Chicago \cademy of Sciences, whose life work is represented in the col- lection. USE TANKS AND ARMORED CARS ODDLY IN IRELAND guerrilla night, is the Ireland, where and Strife-ridden Wartare goes on day ae , vs S The Armored Cars, Steel-Plated High Enough for Protection from Bullets, are Covered with Poultry Netting to Fend Off Any Possible Bombs Thrown at Their Occupants scene of many a curious mili- tary procedure unknown to the World War. Huge, lum- bering tanks of enormous power are put to the strange task of opening store doors, and armored cars go about covered with poultry netting. a The doors are forced, in the process of search for arms, by allowing a tank to —_. push gently on a timber held jh against the lock, which invari- ably way immediately. The armored cars are with plate, high enough to afford cover from bullets, and the netting over the top serves to fend off any bombs thrown by misguided enthu- Siasts. gives err covered steel -_ } 4 —— OO Se Opening a Store Door with a Tank: A Timber Ram is Placed against the Lock, and a Gentle Push of the Big Machine Breaks It

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POPULAR MECHANICS 521 The Light Touring Car, Converted Temporarily into a Cog-Rail Locomotive, Starting up the 70-Per-Cent Grade of Signal Hill. Insert: The Rear Wheels Equipped with Toothed Steel Tires to Fit the Wood Rails LIGHT TOURING CAR CLIMBS SEVENTY-PER-CENT GRADE \utoists generally like to talk about the steep hills their cars have climbed, but the actual inclination of the grades sur- mounted seldom is known. It is com- monly held that a grade of 50 per cent or more will not afford traction to rubber tires, and the recent performance of a light touring car at Long Beach, Calif., in climbing a grade of practically 70 per cent, is therefore remarkable not only in itself, but for the tractive method used as well. A route up Signal Hill, which rises 60.6 ft. in 114.75 ft., and has a grade of 69.97 per cent for nearly its first half, was provided with a pair of plank rails, in which holes were bored at short inter- vals. Steel tires, with round teeth fitting the holes, were then placed over the auto’s rear wheels, and held in place by the tire inflation. Thus made into a cog- rail locomotive, the little car, in low gear, shot up the steep acclivity with little ap- parent effort, at a speed of 15 miles an hour. SWITCH EXTENSION CARRIES CORD CLEAR OF FIXTURES To keep the button cord clear of the light fixture and its chains, a little exten sion has been designed which can be ap plied over a 4-in. conduit. A dish-shaped piece of sheet brass is placed on the conduit and applied flush with the ceiling Projecting from one side of the round piece is a little metal trough which is also A Fitment for the Electric-Light Conduit Which Keeps the Switch-Button Cord Free of the Lamp Fixture The Dish-Shaped . Flush with the Ceiling, and the Cord is Threaded through the Hole in the Extension Disk is Placed over the Conduit applied flush to the ceiling and through which the pendent wire is strung. The trough is long enough to keep the butt cord well clear of the fixture.

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522 POPULAR MECHANICS CONCRETE SLABS DISPLACE LATH IN NEW BUILDING Concrete slabs reinforced with chicken wire and long enough to reach from the middle of one building stud to the center of a third, are being used in place of the conventional lath in the construction of a California home. These slabs, being only 1 ft. wide, are applied lengthwise, and when the house has received its complete coat, it resembles a building made of gigantic bricks. When in the process of manufacture, the slabs are carefully stacked for seven days and allowed to dry to prevent warping. A sprinkling is ad ministered occasionally, and the nail holes are made before the concrete has set too - ; solidly. Washers are used on the nail — aaa e eerie alin Poe Hig i head at the joints to offset slipping out of Method of Application is Shown Here the end. REAL-ESTATE SUBDIVISION seldom as ambitious as that used by a REPRODUCED IN MINIATURE Colorado real-estate operator, in which a whole residence subdivision is built up on Miniature reproductions of naturally a tiny scale. The base and background large objects are always fascinating, but are made of wallboard, with all the streets, alleys, and lawns properly laid out Trees, with foliage formed of bits of sponge dipped in green ink, grace the parkings, while the little houses, of various architectural designs, are built of wood and plaster board, and hand-painted. The completed worl xecuted by a returned soldier, is used to show prospective buyers the lay of the ; ete Soa. - land, thus making selection of a A Miniature Model of a Real-Estate Subdivision, Made of Wall- ; ; oe * - board, with Wooden Houses and Trees Made of Sponges mouse OF Lot Cass TANK-TREAD TRACTORS PLOW SNOW FROM STREETS Snow nN city of New become such a_ stupen- dous problem last winter that extraordinary meat were resorted to in com bating it. Exhaustive experiments with plows attached to heavy motor trucks proved that this system was a failure for the reason that the trucks could get no grip on icy streets. An end less-tread type of five-ton tractor was finally tried hting +1) t w York had 4 and perfofmed so satis- sonmignes " factorily that a fleet of One of a Fleet of Endless-Tread Five-Ton Tractors Used to Remove Snow : from the Streets of New York City these machines was pur- chased. By reason of the powerful trac- heavy apparatus easily piled a very heavy tion of the wide, cleated steel tracks, the snowfall into windrows at the street sides. ‘

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POPULAR MECHANICS 523 Home, Rebuilt Woods. Center: Left: The Bottle-Shaped Summer from tising Sign, as It Appears in the A Phantom View, Showing the Three-Story Interior and Stair. Built-On Part of the Home, Con- taining Kitchen and Living Room an Adver- Right: The HUGE WOODEN BOTTLE FORMS THREE-STORY HOME Strangers wandering about the shores of Pine Island Lake, in New Hampshire, are likely to receive something of a shock upon encountering suddenly, in the woods, the apparition of a huge bottle, competing with the trees themselves in height. «The giant flask, 35 ft. in height and 10 ft. in diameter, is made of wood, and forms the main part of a summer home. Inside it is three stories high, con- taining a circular dining room on the first floor and sleeping chambers of similar form on the second and third, with a stairlike ladder connecting them. Doors and windows have been cut in the curved sides, and an addition of bungalow shape has been built on at one side, to afford a conventional kitchen and living room. Despite its odd shape, the queer sum- mer camp is well furnished and provided vith such conveniences as electric light and telephone service. The bottle was formerly an amusement-park advertising sign for a popular soft drink, and was taken over and converted into a home by the present owner. MAIL PLANE MAKES 33-HOUR COAST-TO-COAST FLIGHT The landing of a DeHaviland mail plane at Hazelhurst Field, Mineola, L. I., on February 23, by Pilot Robt. E. Alli- son, marked the termination of another achievement by American planes and fliers, as it was the same machine that 33 hours 20 minutes earlier had hopped off at San Francisco on the first lap of what was to be the first transcontinental aerial relay flight. During the 3,191-mile jour ney, the one plane was handled by pilots with no damage other than a broken tail skid, which was quickly re placed. All honors are due to the mem bers of the first aerial-relay team, whose nathes follow: Pilots Farr Nutter, John ! Eaton, |. P. Murray, Frank Yager, James H. Knight, J. O. Webster, and E. M. Allison. The most daring individual per formance was that of James H. Knight, who flew from North Platte, Neb., to lowa City between the dark hours « 10:44 p. m. and 4:45 a. m. battling ever mile of the way with blinding sleet blizzards, depending upon hi pass and sense of direction, thus strating the practicability of 36-hour » esa t > > - ‘7A aerial-mail service. SNOW al ] cle CHEMICAL DEMONSTRATION FOR GRADUATION PROGRAM The technical high school of Providence, call R. I., gave an unusual commencement ¢ ; +] . Pe -} | lam netr eram in the way of a chemical ademonst tion. The story of radium was told one of the graduating members of th class. and a demonstration was made to illustrate the points of the story. Ir was burned brilliantly in pure oxygen, an explosive mixture blew the cork o bottle used in the experiment high 1n air. The etfect of hard water on s was shown, and a chemical fire ext guisher made on the stage put out a b! started for the experiment. These p1 tical demonstrations, along with the ust music and essays of the graduation, n a very interesting entertainment.

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ov 4 POPULAR MECHANICS EXPLODING GASOLINE TANKS SHAKE WHOLE CITY Persons whose familiarity with gasoline has left them still without sufficient ap- reciation of its tremendous explosive 1 i ? A orce, may profit by a study of a recent ~- ote ode Interior of the Plant after the Explosion: Autos and Trucks Parked Inside were almost Dismembered, Becoming Mere Masses of Scrap, While the Plant Itself Was Wrecked Memphis huge accident in Tenn. Two $450 line-storage tanks in the plant of a local oil con cern suddenly blew up without apparent cause. The blast was felt in all parts of the city, and when the flying débris had settled, it found that the plant had been wrecked, houses were vives on an shattered for a block around, and the casualties among the workmen amounted to 15 dead and 50 injured. Fire followed the explosion, and firemen were forced to risk their lives on burn ing oil tanks to prevent a still greater disaster. Trucks and autos parked inside the plant were re duced to almost unrecog nizable masses of scrap, @ Wireless messages from New York and other large centers are now be ing received by the huge station recently opened at Tomioka, Japan, whose long-distance sending is declared to be suc- cessful. also PYRIGHT, INTER One of the Extra Hazards of Oil-Plant Explosions: Firemen Risking Their Imperiled Tank Car to Prevent a Still Greater Disaster REBUILT LINER SPECIALIZES IN STEERAGE PASSENGERS ‘1 7 Third class, or steerage passengers are | S to enjoy all the I second and comtorts first class on the newly rebuilt liner “Mount Clay,” which s originally the German “Prinz Eitel Friedrich,” and served America in the war as the trans port “DeKalb.” All the repulsive features of the old-time steerage are completely eliminated by the simple but original sys- tem of placing the whole passenger list in a single class, with access to all parts of the ship, and use of the entire main, prom- enade, and boat decks. Two large dining rooms served by stewards are provided, as well as comfortable lounging and smok- ing cabins, while 90 sleeping cabins ac- commodate two or four passengers each, and metal cots are supplied for the re mainder. Other features are hot and cold baths and showers, and a separate kosher galley for Jewish passengers. @ Perforation around the return address of an envelope, enables the receiver of the letter to use the corner card as the address for a return letter. By tearing on the per- foration, the name and address of the sender may be taken from the envelope and pasted on the answering letter. Such practice will insure correct addressing.

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The Rebuilt Passenger Liner “Mount Clay,” Originally the German Cruiser “Prinz Ejitel Friedrich,” Used in the War as the American Transport “DeKalb”: Its New Peculiarity Is That It will be Used Exclusively for Steerage Passengers, Who will Have All First- Class Privileges ao A Deck View of the ““Mount Clay” during the Process of Reconstruc- tion: Its Thorough Rebuilding In- cluded the Installation of 90 Sleep- ing Cabins, Each Accommodating Two or Four Passengers; Two Large Dining Rooms on the Promenade and Main Decks, Con- nected by a Wide Staircase; a Well-Furnished Rest Room for Women, and a Similar Smoking Room for Men — ~~. The Final Stages in the Operation of Transforming the “DeKalb” into the “Mount Clay”: The Vessel, in Dry- dock, Is Ready for the Installation of Its Propellers and the General Outfit- ting Destined to Make It Famous as the First Passenger Steamer with the Social Policy of an American Railroad Train, All Passengers Having the Full Run of the Public Decks. One of Its Features Is a Properly Operated “Kosher” Galley for Jewish Passengers

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526 POPULAR MECHANICS BERMUDIAN BURIAL VAULTS added, those on the bottom collapse, with ARE FAMILY MAUSOLEUMS the result that a vault may contain the remains of several generations. Burial in Bermuda is not the simple matter that it is in most parts of the world, CENTER OF U. S. POPULATION SS MOVES WEST NINE MILES The center of population of the United States has moved 9.8 miles west to a point 8.3 miles southeast of the town of Spencer, Ind., according to the 1920 cen sus. The former center was located one fifth of a mile north from Bloomington, in the same state, but mainly because of an increase of 1,000,000 in the population of California, the point has made this rather long movement westward. Geo graphically located, the new center is north 39 i? 21° latitude, and west 86° 43’ 15” longitude. A Somewhat Pretentious Bermudian Burial Vault: Most of Them are Covered Level with the Surface; —_—— Dug 15 Feet Deep, They Accommodate Many Caskets BALLOON-RACING GAME TESTS due to the fact that the island is of solid BOTH SKILL AND PATIENCE coral and limestone formation with a ver) shallow top soil. As digging a grave is Bursting toy balloons holds a fascination something of an engineering feat and, for most people, regardless of age. This consequently, expensive, one must be odd twist of human nature is turned to made to serve for the interment of many advantage by the manufacturers of a new bodies instead of only one. Accordingly amusement-park game which represent the excavation is sunk toa depth of 10 to the start of a balloon race. Twelve pet 15 ft. and lined with concrete or limestone sons may play at one time, the winner be Cc blocks. edar caskets are used and, by ing the one who first explodes the balloon law, interment must take place within 24 assigned to him. Each balloon is con hours. Another legal requirement is that nected by tubing to a pump, operated by a vault must remain sealed for 366 days a player. On signal, each player begin following each interment. Should a second pumping at only a moderate speed as, if member of a family die within that time, the pumps are worked too rapidly, the ai the remains 1 t be disposed of in an is simply by-passed and does not inflate other vault ich is kept sealed for the the balloon. This makes the gyame one of prescribed period. As new caskets are © skill instead of strength and endurance. SASUGTES ES GEG ESE ELE. POLS eae) ae 7 Beas eS 7? $e 7 Oe WS The Balloons in the Balloon-Racing Game Never-Sail, as .“Disaster’” Overtakes Each One the Instant It is Fully Inflated. The Players Do the Inflating by Means of Pumps Concealed in the Boxes in the Foreground

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ty commonly known extraction, for they are easily handled by = : i F og] POPULAR NEW COTTON VARIETY WITHSTANDS PESTS 7VU,000-bale drop in the sea-island mn yield within the last two years, has Department of ilture to make some with a cotton name of “Meade.” ‘otton is better able ithstand the on- ht of parasites ire ravaging the bt d, and its stood up in good der much close tion. Strength ecently made dis- the fact that in the better ut the differ- attributed to t that the Meade cultured un MECHANICS GERMANS CARRY PASSENGERS IN WAR-TIME TANKS Some of the military tanks, which were eit in the hands of the German govern advet condi German Military Tank, Converted for the Carriage of Passengers in Berlin rhe newly devel- 1 \ riety is the only plant that shows promise as a substitute for sea-island because of its early matur- ity, fiber of about 1°% in in length, and fine texture. Despite its possibilities, however, the fact remains that the sea- island grade is of superior strength and quality Meade = seeds do not offer any difficulty in the way of 4 8) = sea-island gins. The boll of t cotton is more substantial than ety it is expected to displace. and rh it vit lds 3.5 per cent more waste dered a keen competitor, Port on the s uutheastern coast draw m prices for Meade, and late se ive seen as many as 3,000 acres of cultivation. The demand for the OWS apace with the demand for cotton, and there seems to be no reason \ the ne W species should not become a tand ird crop. by the Addition of a Special Top and Body ment by the allies’ reparations commis I sion after the conclusion of peace, are now being converted to civilian purposes. Re cently Berlin pedestrians have’ been treated to the sight of a passenger-carry- ing tank which has been equipped with a specially built and fini body, with a regular automobile shape, and carrying a glass-inclosed top, for passengers to whom speed is second iry to certaint HAIR CLIPPER AND MOTOR IN ONE PIECE \ power-driven hair clipper without the use of stand or flexible cable. has recently been introduced, The motor for operating the clipper is held in the hand and the drive to the oscillating knife is direct. It weighs more than t pound and be cause of its small size and compact ar- rangement, can be used in tead ot the great many cas¢ Faking thi shear in a ¢g ‘ place of the usual flexible cable and stand. is a cord connection to the power Chis cord is provided with an attachment plug that can be fitted to anv socket

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HIGHWAY LIGHTHOUSES SAFEGUARD TRAFFIC A system of highway lighthouses hag been installed in Virginia, which will safe- guard autoists and pedestrians when at- tention is paid their warn- ings. They are placed at haz- ards in the roads, such as curves, rail- roads, bridges, etc.,and acety- lene gas is used in them for the pur- pose of throw- ing the neces- sary light. The light scheme is the stand- ard used by most safety guardians, being red for danger, and green for cau- tion, while yellow indt- cates an ordi- nary curve to 1 1 vear, Phe } identical with th which the motorist is guided by an arrow. The signal structure is built large enough to carbide and water to furnish hold vas for ; flashing mechanism is it used by government lighthouses at sea. PUMP MAINTAINS PRESSURE OF NATURAL GAS Natural gas will not flow regularly dur- ing cold and many people have found themselves at a great disadvantage when their gas has ceased to flow under boiling water or frying eggs. With the aid of an electrically driven pump, de- veather, Motor-Driven Pump That Automatically Maintains Suitable Pressure of Natural Gas for Heating Purposes POPULAR MECHANICS signed with a regulating diaphragm of sheet rubber, a constant pressure is main tained. When the gas pressure gets be low that required, the diaphragm reced and draws the motor control rod with it. This in turn starts the motor, which pumps the gas back to normal pressure. When this is reached, the diaphragm again ex- pands, pushing the control rod of the motor out and stopping the motor. The machine occupies little space and is in tended for hotels, restaurants, and other heavy consumers of gas. > WORKER PINNED TO TALL MAST RESCUED BY DARING FEAT While four 130-ft. aerial masts in a Portland, Ore., shipyard were being wrecked a short tim: ago, the end one sud Soest ae ee | aqenty crashed to th ground, and the sec ond, attached to th third by a crossarm started to follow. The cross. timber, urned at an acute angle formed a mammoth pair ot pincers wit the third mast, and a rigger work ing on the pole top was caught by the leg in the great jaws, and held help A hastily requisitioned fireladdes reached only to an inade quate 90 ft.; but from its top, a second rigger went hand over hand up a steel guy cable to the tip of the mast, carrying a rope with him. Workers below eased the pressure of the leaning pole, and the re- leased rigger and his dexterous rescuer were lowered safely to the ground. less. @ Domestic production of chaulmoogra oil, long used in Asia for the treatment of leprosy, is made possible through a con signment of seeds of the Hydnocarpus tree, sent from Siam to the Bureau of Plant Industry. They will be experiment ally propagated in Florida, Porto Rico, and Hawaii. The oil formerly was obtained only from seeds of another tree grown in Burma.

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of the Main Concrete Angling Pool: It eral View —s ”. ‘ we a Oe Is Literally Alive with Big Hungry Brook Trout That the Visiting Anglers are Permitted to Take with Fly Rods TROUT ANGLING AT FIFTY CENTS A FISH BY JOHN EDWIN HOGG angler goes to the trout fishing and Wt! N the average mountams fo figures the expense of his trip against the umber of fish caught, he usually finds he has paid a dollar or more for every h, or possibly, many dollars for fewer fish than it takes to odorize a frying pan. That every sportsman desires actually to itch fish, and is willing to pay a reason- ble price for his pleasure, is the idea that is been capitalized by an enterprising creation of an artificial (Californian in the | are ng ground, where mountain trout The Fish Hatchery Wherein Millions of Trout are being Developed for the Angler's Fly, to be Later to the for as retailed sporting angler at cents a fish taken with rod and fly. } trout fishery combines the and 1 in captivity 50 reared in many as are Che artificial ideas of 1odern nsh that progressive the 1 tn hatchery with facilit for make it a distinct innovation in the fiel . 1es angling of outdoor sports. The institution is lo cated at the mouth of a large mountain canon where the roaring wate of Mil Creek pout down from the eternal sno of the San Bernardino Mountains, through the angling pools, and thence on to the =o, : § Sn alee il a a Pe from the Angling Pools at Fifty Cents per Fish Fished

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530 POPULAR MECHANICS irrigated agricultural districts of the Santa of artificial angling pools to be caught Ana Valley. At one end of the property and creeled by visiting fishermen. Some there is a large barnlike structure housing of the fishing pools are of concrete, and a fish hatchery. This is not particularly upon the brink of these, patrons may fish different from similar institutions main- standing up, or seated upon comfortable tained for fish propagation at various rustic benches provided for their con- bo Testes 9 =: venience. Trout of dif Y- oeeer yay ferent sizes and variety are transferred from the fish hatchery to the va- rious pools, according to the requirements of an- gling activity. If one wishes to catch small eastern brook trout, he has but to cast his fly in a designated pool. If rainbow trout are de- sired, the angler fishes in a different pool. For him be One of the “Willow Pools” Where One may Enjoy Angling in an Artificial Pool under Con- ditions Simulating Those of a Natural, Thicket-Bordered Trout Stream points about the country by state authorities. Its purpose, however, is not that of stocking public streams and lakes, but to provide the trout which swarm through a series Center View: One of the Semirustic Fishing Pools Teeming with Big Rainbow Trout. Bottom View: These Concrete Pools Contain Trout of Various Kinds and Assorted Sizes, for Restocking the Angling Pools as Their Population is Depleted by Successful Fishermen

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POPULAR MECHANICS An Artificial Cascade in One of the Concrete Angling Pools, Which Helps to Aerate t Angler a Semblance of Fishing in a Natural Fishing Ground he ho feels that fishing for trout in a co out the necessary fishi crete tank smacks too much of the arti- management keeps a sult ial, there are a series of “willow pools, equipment, which may be here one may angle to his heart's con nominal sum. He is not tent amid surroundings simulating those vith the unpleasant task ef nature. The willow pools are artificial own fish, After making ths of mountain stream surrounded but to turn his trout over by heavy growths of willows, to give’ who gives hima receipt for hem the wild as- ™ t! pect ordinarily to ead ve found abo a P natural mount wes INFORMATION Regarding fst at t rout 1. TI ; Guay is made lor cach sx 1 hor larger Tr {} mut pool, le WW: Ist : A . Pharge for Trout cz tumder six meh ers of Mill Creek Dg allowed nth: yee rd erage Him contribute torrents asd be sspected by an crnphuye be bemy se P ini c - : ‘ - must ted tram water with line »f frothing icy nat be be .s 4 > , Landing Neis will bc provided tor thas purpo: ‘iquie to the € AR Trout are required to be Hqued of pools, but the en P¥ ree lessons in Fly_casti trances and exits. Those desinng jo im & ete: . = ma hook tron . sé ire arTre- fully screened to prevent the im- 1 ounded trout from Cc vimming away. cue The visiting an- elet does not pay ‘= 1 for the privilege of The Rules of the Game at the Commercialized Trout { casting his flv. He Fishery Are Comparatively Few and { 4 $ Easy to Comply Witt merely goes in and fishes. The is no closed season nor bag rly good cat Im limit. If we catches no fish, it costs him t the rate of half a « nothing. Neither does he pay for any fis! eem rather expensive sp caught which is less than six inches long. _ it is not, compared with tl If he creels a number of speckled beauties effort of a fishing trip to six inches or more in length, he owes the ral fishing ground. Such management 50 cents for each fish taken. cost a — dollars o1 For those who visit the fish farm with- ing a dozen or, maybe, 50 Water and Give the y tackk thi of suitable I ted 10Tr a even trouble: of dressing his catch he ha » an attendant his When fisher ni to ( he nts t receipt oft his ‘ cle vere l to dressed, iced, ca efully , a

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532 net result. At this rate 50 fish would cost 32 each, to say nothing of the investment of time and equipment required for such POPULAR MECHANICS pense of the journey are probably much less than the cost of a similar catch from some distant natural pool. The artificial trout fish- For Those Who Wish to Fish in Luxurious Comfort There Are Rustic Benches About the Concrete Fishing Pools a journey. A visit to the trout farm can hardly fail to be productive of a fine string of fish even for an unskilled angler, and the total cost of fishing there and the ex- ~ ed bes. oot “EE % The Commercial Trout Fishery Maintains a Dressing Station Where the Angler’s Catch is Dressed, Iced, and Packed in a Neat Wooden Box, Ready for Transfer to the Frying Pan ery is located on a paved motor highway, at a point that is within three hours of easy touring from Los Angeles, and connecting motor high- ways make it readily ac- cessible to visitors from nearly every community in southern California. It is an easy and inexpen- sive motor journey that may be taken on a single day’s holiday, and $10 in- vested in fishing means a string of 20 fine trout. The habits of the “civilized trout” at the “ranch” are not at all different from those of native fish. They are “temperamental” about taking the fly, and seem to be pretty well educated in all the tricks of skillful angling, just as all trout seem to be. It is usually the skilled angler who pays the biggest bill at the conclusion of a day’s sport. For the amateur fisherman, the management em ploys several expert anglers who give free lessons in the art of fly casting. The in stitution is thus an excellent training ground for persons contemplating mor¢ costly and extensive excursions to natu- ral fishing grounds. Obviously the creation of the commer cialized trout fishery represents aconsider- able investment. Heavy expense was in volved in acquiring title to the property and water rights, building the fishing pools, stocking them with fish, and estab- lishing the fish hatchery. The enterprise was launched a little more than a year ago, but has only in recent months de veloped a suitable stock of trout to attract anglers from afar. At the present time there are approximately half a million trout six inches or more in length, in the several fishing pools. Millions more are in process of development in the hatchery. With these fish eventually to be worth half a dollar each, the financial future of the undertaking seems well assured. @A_ shoe-hobnailing machine, which is said to do the work better than it can be done by hand, is being tested by the mo- bile shoe-repair unit of the Quartermaster Department, at Fort Sam Houston. The apparatus is the product of an eastern factory.

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POPULAR MECHANICS bi STEEL DROP CURTAINS PROTECT CASHIER’S BOOTH

2 — —— The Cashier’s Booth, in Or- linary Use, Gives no Indica- tion That It is Equipped with Bulletproof Steel Curtains Ready to Descend

Ye The Steel Shutter is Partly Lowered to Show Its Ar rangement, but in Use It Drops All the Way in a Fraction of a Second Shutters of solid, and may be released bulletproof steel, that by a button at the drop instantly to cov- cashier's hand, or by er the openings of a ctsanunte. Gonmauess eusemnees = other buttons outside cashier’s booth on the Seen in Its Lowered Position, the Armor- so that even an uno pressure of a button, Puctholes, Giving a tanh y thas cupied booth is pro constitute a new solu- Shoot at the Robber without Any Risk of tected. Small port tion of at least one Return Fire holes permit the shel hase of the holdup problem. The sys- tered cas! ler to open fire upon the intruder em of armor-plate curtains is designed if opportunity offers, and the electrical r banl movie theaters, and similar lo connection of the drop also sets an 18-i1 VALINS, cations whose exposure is likely to tempt the criminally inclined. One of them re cently was installed in an Illinois drug tore. The metal sheets are hung in a cot ’ ° 1 } +7 ‘ d position above the booth windo FRANCE IS BUILDING WORLD'S GREATEST RADIO PLANT Upon completion of a mammoth radio installation, under construction a Sainte-Assise, near Melun, France will undisputed sovereignty of tl 11 | i how t 4 Ait as communication is concerned, as she will possess the world’s two largest plants in the Lafayette station, described in the March issue of Popular Mechanics, and the new station, which will far sur pass the former. f Oo tar The conspicuous fea- irm gong to ringing with noisy vigor With 1 telephone in the booth, the « | s master of any situation that may arise | the disappointed bandit who ling: ‘ tO Tye ‘ f } + ‘ " \s< ) j ¢ 17 ‘ t ers, « ) S20 t igh, which will pp 130 miles « wire making » the ‘ ind put ing connection One tower will be served for European communication hile the remaining 16 il] erve ti liberate the 5,000 hp. \mericas, Almost commodate used in signaling th: \frica, India, China, and Japa: 700 acres will be required to ac the forest of towers, the houses, and other buildings of the stallation, power! huge it

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POPULAR CLEVER ANVIL SHARPENS PLOWSHARES AND DISKS Instead of hammering earth-working blades, the idea of rolling for the purpose of sharpening them is now employed. The Engine, in Turning the Anvil Pulley, Revolves a Crankshaft. By a Lever Connection to the Crank- shaft, the Roller Gives the Metal a Two-Inch Stroke Plowshares, disks, and cultivators are placed between a roller and a wedge- shaped anvil where, by a back-and-forth motion of the roller, their edge is re- newed. The anvil is set on an elevating screw, and should one share or disk be a little thicker than the last, the screw may be adjusted for the proper thickness. The blades are put between the roller and the anvil hot, and the roller, operated by a crankshaft, makes rapid sweeps over the hot metal. By tightening the lower ad- justment the roller is given a squeezing effect, and the metal is thus drawn to as fine an edge as desired. Also, a smoothness of surface results which is much to be desired in this kind of blade. screw, PROJECTED EXTENSION OF U. &. TO ORIENT CABLE SYSTEM That the submarine cable will not be driven from the field by the wireless tele- graph for some time to come, is proved by a project which contemplates the lay- ing of two lines from Seattle to oriental points; one, 4,254 nautical miles in length, to Yokohama, and the other, 6,011 nau- tical miles long, to Manila. It is calcu- lated that the cost of the undertaking will approximate $6,000 per mile. Vast as these distances seem, they are shorter than those cdvered by the present cables, which are, San Francisco- Yokohama, 6,993 miles, and San Francisco-Manila, 7,141 miles. Also, by the present routes it is necessary MECHANICS to relay a message three times, while, it is expected, only two relays will be needed on the Manila line and one on the Yoko- hama branch. This will have the effect of speeding up the service materially. Strange as it may seem, the projected route is via the Aleutian Islands, the sur vey showing that the distance is shorter this way than it is straight across the Pacific Ocean. FREEZING POINTS OF FRUITS ARE MEASURED ELECTRICALLY In an attempt to evolve methods of pre- venting the spoilage of fruits and vegeta- bles by freezing while in transit or stor- age, the Department of Agriculture is conducting thousands of experiments at the Arlington, Va., laboratories, to deter mine at what temperatures these products freeze. The experimental apparatus con sists of a large tank in which freezingly cold brine is circulated, and extremely sensitive devices, known as thermocouples, which the peculiar property of generating weak and variable currents of electricity when they subjected to changes in temperature. These variations are registered by delicate meters, marked to read in terms of de grees, Fahrenheit or Centigrade. So sensitive are the thermo couples that they will detect a difference of temperature of .OOO1°. In se yoSSeSS I are [vcr @ test specimen of fruit and a thermocouple are placed in one of 12 cups in the lid of COPYRIGHT, HARRIS & EWING Apparatus Used by the Department of Agriculture to Determine at What Temperatures Fruits and Vegetables Freeze the brine tank. By watching the specimen and the meter closely the exact temper- ature at which freezing begins is deter- mined with great accuracy.

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VAAL RIVER, AFRICA, TO WATER FAMOUS RAND REGION Work is well under way on a dam across the Vaal River at a point 2344 miles downstream from Vereeniging, Transvaal Colony, which, when cempleted, will impound 13,633,000,000 gal. and form a lake 39 miles long by one mile wide, at the widest point. The struc- ture will be over 1,300 ft. long by about 25 ft. deep, built up of 36 concrete piers and two abutments. Between the piers will be steel valve gates, 30 ft. wide by 25 ft. deep. The Rand Water Board will be allowed a daily ration of 20,000,000 gal., which vill be pumped to a total rreat lift will be accom- POPULAR MECHANICS 535 ENGLISH SIDECAR TAXICAB GIVES ECONOMICAL SERVICE Sidecar coupés have recently made their appearance upon the streets of English cities in the role of taxicabs. The weather- height of 1,580 ft. This ] ‘lished in three stages: from river level to Veree- niging pumping station, 80 ft., where the water will be sterilized; to Zwartkopjes, 480 ft., COPYRIGHT, THE BULLETIN and to Turffontein, 1,020 ft. From this point the water will be distributed by ravity to Johannesburg and the whole central and eastern Rand region. CARVES BILLIARD BALLS INTO USEFUL ARTICLES Out of the ivory billiard-ball collection of the Cincinnati police force, George Ell, a disabled policeman, carves medallions, miniatures, cigarette hold- ers, and other things useful and pretty. His workcom- petes very fa- vorably with that of thepro- fessional art- ist, although he has never taken a lesson. Tool tem- pering was one of the first trades Ell learned, and to this he attributes most of his success as a carver of ivory, for it is necessary to know how to keep a keen edge on a tool to get satisfactory and artistic results. The Sidecar Taxicab stantly Convert the Body from an Open to a Gives Fast Service Cheap. Pull-Down Curtains In- Weatherproof Coupé Type tight bodies of the trim little vehicles are fitted with staggered seats, which arrange- ment is said to accommodate two averave- size persons and their hand luggage com fortably. Dx lays on account o! tire trouble are guarded against by having all wheels quickly detachable and _ inter changeable, and by carrying a spare wheel and tire on the body roof. Owing to much lower cost of operation and upkeep, the three-wheelers should be high-speed service at a regular cabs able to ve a 1\ lower rate than PLAN TO SAVE OLD BUILDING OF CHICAGO MUSEUM Regret, not cor fined to Chicago, has been caused by the gradual decay of the beautiful building that originally housed the exhibit of fin arts of the World’s Columbian Exposi tion, in Jackson Park, on the city’s south side, and has since ld whose expression i functioned as the Field Columbian Museum. Now that the latter institution has a new home of its Illinois architects have proposed methods for saving the splendid structure, by the expenditure of an estimated $1,640,000 to give it a new roof, a coat of waterproof cement, a modern heating plant, and a general overhauling and repair. It would then become a highly valuable community recreational and art center. Own,

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536 POPULAR PORTABLE LABORATORY USED BY HIGHWAY ENGINEERS To enable building engineers to analyze materials on the site of Operations instead of being compelled to carry samples to

Some of the Apparatus Composing the Portable Road- Material Testing Laboratory: The Four Screens Measure the Fineness of Crushed Stone, Gravel, Sand, and Cement the laboratory, a simple portable outht ‘has been devised, which is said to be ex- tremely accurate. Crushed-stone sizes are measured by circular screens perforated by holes ranging in size from 14 in. to 3 in. Other screens for sand, cement, etc., 10 to 200 meshes are of fineness of from to the inch. Three scales determine the weights of materials over a range of from one gram to 30 Ib. The only breakable piece in the outfit is a graduated glass beaker used in measuring silt settlings. Scale tripods and various standardized dry-measuring units complete paratus., he ~AT)< the ap NOVEL AUTO-LICENSE NUMBER CODE IS PROPOSED A resident of Buffalo has worked out an automobile-license number code in which letters and figures to the left of a vertical line designate the make of the car, while numbers only to the right serve as owner- ship identification. Starting with A-l, the code progresses to Z-999, or higher. How- ever, as the object of the code is to hold the number of characters to be quickly read and remembered as low as possible, MECHANICS the digits to the. right should not exceed three. After having used all the letters in the alphabet in a simple series, they are next combined with figures up to 99, so that the last tag of a two-series code would have the letter Z over the figure 99 in the left-hand division, and the final identification figure, 999, to the right. As hundreds of millions of distinct combina- tions can be made by various arrange- ments of a few letters and figures, the code could be extended to identify every automobile in the United States. AIR-DRIVEN VARNISH RUBBER SAVES MUCH HAND LABOR One of the time-honored industrial methods which is rapidly becoming obso lete, due to the evolving of labor-saving machinery, is that of hand-rubbing in ap- plying the high finishes to furniture. Power-driven rubbing machines have been used for some time in the finishing of large plane surfaces, such as piano panels, desk tops, etc. An Illinois manufacturer is now producing a small air-driven rub- bing machine which, it is claimed, serves admirably in the field of small-part finish- ing, dressing such parts as chair legs, narrow edges, moldings, and the small surfaces of phonograph cases. The new device consists of a self-contained compressed-air motor,whichactu-

FLUSHING ‘ATTACHMENT ~ \ MOISTURE | TRAP ~ y =! \h PRESSURE ARM} |

LARGE RUBBING MACHINE ates two flat blocks projecting SMALL RUBBING from the bottom MACHINE of the body of

A Pneumatic Varnish-Rubbing Machine, Which Econ- omizes Hand Labor, Needs Only to be Guided over the Surface being Polished the apparatus. Sandpaper sheets or pads of felt can be attached to the bottoms of the blocks to form the polishing elements. When the latter are used, mixed pumice stone and water does the actual polishing.

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POPULAR TOBACCO MECHANICS PEST FOUGHT WITH POISON-DUST SPRAYER Spraying Machine for Tobacco Plants: The Two Flattened Noz- zles Spread the Powder Blast into a Broad Cloud Form The hornworm is to the tobacco grower what the boll weevil is to the cotton planter, and the problem of exterminating the pests presents many imilar aspects. In both es practically the same methods have been tried and found to fall far short ot the requirements. ‘* : Hand picking, while cer- tain, is slow and expen- ive. Various poisoning methods have had their innings and have 1 ' been partly or entirely abandoned for the reason that, up to the present, there has been no efficient apparatus available for the application of the chemicals either in the wet or dry form. What promises to be a solution of the problem is a simple apparatus recently constructed by the Bureau of Entomology at its Clarksville, Tenn., station. In general appearance and manipulation the implement somewhat resembles a plow in that it has the conventional plow han- dles. The object aimed at in the design is the wide scattering of dry poison powder by an air blast. This is accomplished by connecting a centrifugal blower, of the same pattern as those used in blacksmiths’ forges, with a cleated bull wheel by means of a system of chains. Another chain gear- ing, driven by a broad roller which forms the front wheel of the machine, transmits power to a rotary brush feeding the pow- der uniformly from a large hopper into the path of the air blast. The poison cloud Ce How the Centrifugal Blower is Driven by the Bull Wheel, and the Front Roller of the Apparatus 537 The Poison-Dust Sprayer in Action: It is Made Light-Running So That One Horse can Pull It can be directed at various angles by mean’s of nozzles attached to hose lengths. This pro vision permits the streams to be di rected higher as th: plants grow. As the nozzles project well to the rear of the operator, he is not compelled to breathe much of the powder. With one horse, or mule, supplying the motive power, 15 acres per day can be treated with the new implement. It has constructed as narrow as possible, so that it may be used without injury to the plants until they reach a considerable height, and is made in two patterns, for spraying either single or double rows. The poisons generally used with the various makes of hand sprayers are calcium arsenate and ars¢ nate of lead in a fine dust form. It is said the Rotary Brush by been that the new apparatus will spray these satisfactorily in either the pure chemi- cal or in a weakened form. @ Three submarine telephone cables are now being laid between Key West, Fla., and Havana, a distance of about 100 miles, providing the first wire-telephone connec tion from the great system of the United States to the island of Cuba. Plans for the new line were announced in this mag azine as early as May, 1916.

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Dod POPULAR LOGGING MOVIES TAKEN FROM TOP OF SPAR TREE The movie-camera man cares not if there is “nothing new under the sun.” He has ae MECHANICS GOVERNMENT SHEEP RANCH DEVELOPS NEW BREED The government reservation of 28,000 acres, located near Dubois, Ida., and de- voted to experimental sheep raising, is the big- gest undertaking of its sort in the United States. Two thousand head of sheep are being main- tained at an elevation of between 7,000 to 8,000 ft. above sea level, summer pasturage and sunflower silage being their princi pal sources of sustenance. Thirty acres of sunflow- ers were cultivated in 1920, and although nu- merous plots of sorghum were included in the ex perimental feeding in vestigations, this flower- ing plant proved its su- periority by intrenching itself under cultural con- ditions at high altitudes. The development of a true breeding type of Left: with covered practically every subject in the industrial line—some of them several times—but succeeds in getting novelty by working out new angles. To get a new angle on logging in the Pacific Northwest, a camera man of one of the moving-pic- ture concerns had himself and his camera hoisted in a sling to the top of a 225-ft. spar tree, from which elevation he took action pictures of logging on the ground below. The spar tree is the lead upon which the main block or pulley is hung for yarding logs with a donkey engine, the steel cables passing from the drum of the engine up through the roof of the donkey and func- tioning through a several-thousand-pound block on the top of the spar tree, which is guyed with bracing wires from every side, to resist the enormous strain. The Tall Spar Tree | the Camera Seen as a Mere Dot at Its Very Top, Him the Logging Scene He is Photographing from Sling and being Hoisted to the Top of the 225- Foot Spar Tree sheep, adapted to range environments of the West, from crossing the Lincoln and Rambouillet breeds, is the major aim of this range. Five years —_ Man below a New Angle. Above: of crossbreeding has fj - The Adventurous Oper- ole teige “1 eed g ha “ defi ator with His Movie nitely fixed a desirable Camera, Perched in His type of range sheep. The usual methods were: dis- carded, and instead of going back to one or the other of the parent breeds, the crossbred progeny were in- terbred in each succeeding generation. The effort to establish a breed of larger animals by this novel procedure is a fresh contribution to sheep husbandry. It has never been attempted before, if we are to accept the seasoned opinion of the of- fice of sheep investigation of the Depart- ment of Agriculture. “Columbia” is the adopted name of the offspring, HOLLAND’S NEW RADIO STATION HAS INTERESTING TOWERS Holland’s newest and largest wireless station, in the Veluwe district, is interest- ing for its use of straight steel-skeleton antenna masts, 689 ft. high, each literally balanced on a point at the foot. The point, converged from the three vertical

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POPULAR MECHANICS 539 The Pointed Foot of the Tower, Insulated by Porce- lain Drums, and Centered by Concrete Piers beams of the triangular mast, rests on a heavy iron disk supported by circles of stout porcelain insulators. A triangle of three concrete abutments, with thrust beams held by adjusting screws, keeps the pointed foot centered. As illustrating the significance of the height figure, it is stated that workmen at the mast top do not come down for lunch, as the long climb on the iron ladder would take a half nour, HORIZONTAL REVOLVING TUB FEATURES CONCRETE MIXER The moving element of a new concrete mixer, somewhat simpler in design than the familiar barrel or tumbler type, is a heavy metal tub which revolves horizontally, carrying the material with it. To re- duce friction as much as possible, the tub is sup- ported on a circular ball race. Fixed to the bot- tom is a large bevel-ring gear which meshes with a bevel pinion attached to the horizontal driveshaft. A discharge hole through the bottom of the tub is closed by a cover having a cone-shaped top, which, projecting upward on the inside, prevents the mix- ture from accumulating in the center of the ap- paratus. To dump the » Above: Complete. Left: Conical Cover of Center Discharge Port. Right: Bevel-Gear Drive, Ball Bearings, and Dis- charge Port a Seo rae ee ey art De In the Foreground Is the Lower Part of One of the Triangular Towers on Its Pointed: Foot. A Second Tower in the Distance Shows the Guying System chine. Four stationary spaced about the interior of the tub, are so ai ranged that two of them constantly shovel the mixture toward the outside and the other two push it back, The scoops are curved, somewhat like a plowshare, so that each one turns the contents over,thus doubling it on itself and thereby thor- oughly mixing it. The wide-open con- SCOOps, Mixer Details of mixed contents, the cover can be raised by a lever without interrupt- ing the continuous working of the ma- struction permits loading from any con- venient angle.

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HEROIC FIGURES OF PAST AND PRESENT ARE In a Public Square of the City of Buenos Aires, Capital of Argentina, There has been Erected an Enormous Statue Representing Christopher Columbus and His Bold Crew, Breaking the Ocean Trail to a New Civilization. Amalde Zocchi, Italian Sculptor, Wrought upon the Great Marble for Ten Years at Rome, and Both the King of Italy and the President of Argentina Were His Interested Visitors. The Impressive Memorial Formed the Sole Cargo of the Ship That : Carried It to South America, and an Italian Battleship Gave . It Ceremonious Escort So Quickly do Even the Greatest of Events Pass into Oblivion, There may Be Some Who have Forgetten That American Soldiers Died in the World War Long Before the United States Joined the Allied Forces. That These Eager Heroes of a Premature Fate may be Immortalized, a Monument of Simple Arch Form has been Erected, and was Recently Unveiled, at Souain, France, near Sainte Ménehould, on the Edge of the Argonne Forest The Memorial Pays Tribute to Those American Fighting Men Who Fell on September 30, 1915, with the French Foreign Legion

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IMMORTALIZED BY NEW WORK OF SCULPTORS

~Y * —- , - ee to, ‘ J * - Se. 44 om; * y be : Z \ — “an ; ' wv « = | ti > ae ye | * idles ¢ ‘ j ¥ “= fae 6 4 \ , aaa . ‘ 7 “> z ' , 7 I * 4a 1 eo a _— — — 4 To the Memory of the aan | Victims of the Earth- 4 quake at Messina, Sicily, in 1908, When Over 76,000 Lives were GuncpuEeonere* Lost, is Dedicated a eet ae Monument Recently ss ponere Erected in the Cemetery | saeaegre = at Messina. Vito Pardo, Italian Sculptor, Worked Five Years upon the }j a> : Memorial

PHOTO BY AMERICAN RED CROSS On a Rocky Promontory of the Mull of Oa, on Islay Is- land, Scotland, a Granite Shaft, 60 Feet High, has been Erect- ed by the Red Cross to the |jp9 Memory of These Lost When — the ‘*‘Tuscania’’ and the ae “Otranto” were Sunk

«<* A Gift to the State of Indiana from the Italian Citizens of Indianapolis, Kokomo, “ Richmond, and Logansport, a Granite ns Statue of Christopher Columbus, 11

Feet High, with an Allegorical Bas- Relief around Its Pedestal, was Re- cently Unveiled on the Plaza at the State Capitol

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542 POPULAR FIRE TRUCK HITS HEAVY POLE AND SEVERS IT SMOOTHLY The tremendous force developed by a heavy motor vehicle traveling at high speed was strikingly illustrated in Cin- The Heavy Electric-Light Pole was Sheared Squarely Off and Left Dangling from Its Wires by the Im- pact of the Truck, Which was Badly Damaged cinnati the other day, when a fire truck, running more than 40 miles an_ hour, swerved to avoid a small car. The big auto, out of control, went over the curb and squarely into a 13-in. yellow-pine lighting pole, newly set in the cement sidewalk. The impact sheared the stout pole off at the surface of the concrete in a clean, straight break, and left it dan gling from its wires. The truck was badly damaged by the collision. AUTO ENGINES WASTE THIRTY PER CENT OF GASOLINE It is somewhat startling to learn that 30 cents of every dollar’s worth of gaso- line used in motor cars or trucks in the United States other purpose than that of polluting the atmosphere, this percentage of fuel being wasted on account of faulty carburetor adjustment. The finding is the result of careful obser- vations and experiments conducted by the fureau of Mines. It was found that the majority of vehicles are being operated serves no MECHANICS with the same carburetor adjustment the year round, whereas it is not only prac ticable but advisable that the mixture be cut to the economical “lean” side during the summer months. PAINTS AND WHITEWASH AS FIRE PREVENTERS It has been found that common white- wash, applied in generous coats, makes a quite satisfactory fireproof coating for wood, which, while it does not prevent burning at high temperatures, materially lessens the chances of fires being started by cigarettes or flying sparks. An even better protection, one which retains its fire-resisting qualities for two or three years, is a paint made of linseed oil, zinc borate, and chrome green. This is also a good outdoor paint, as it withstands weather well. COMBINED PLIERS AND WRENCH OF NEW DESIGN The combination pliers and wrench that can reach in the out-of-the-way places and maintain a good hold, is a tool much to be desired. Such a mechanism is now introduced which, by pressure of the palm and fingers of the hand against its handles, will maintain a locked hold on a nut. In appearance it closely resembles an ordi- nary pair of pliers, but it differs in that it has a series of crossbars attached to the handles and jaw bases. These crossbars are fitted with and camways, in such a manner as to bring about a locking action when the bosses come into contact with the sides of the camways. This con tact is maintained by the pressure of the hand against both handles. The jaws of the tool have a spread of from 14 to 1 in. bosses and are thin enough to get into tight places. No locking takes place when the device is used as a plier. Combination Wrench and Plier with a Spread of One- Fourth to One Inch: As a Wrench It Locks Automatically

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POPULAR 1D € The Elastic Anchor Line Let Out to Its Full 150-Foot Length. It Will Stretch to 300 Feet MECHANICS Center: to the Wind. Left: Barbs. the Firmly Imbedded Anchor, Which, in This Case, Is 543 The Dirigible Stopping and Swinging Head-On View of the Anchor Showing Folding Right: The Airman Pulling the Ship Down to One of Experimental Form DIRIGIBLES EASILY LANDED WITH ONE-MAN ANCHOR Landing dirigibles anywhere without the assistance of a ground crew is claimed to be made possible by the invention of a barbed anchor, which penetrates the soil nd becomes solidly imbedded even in sand or mud. The device is made on the order of a dart with a steel shaft and four iluminum flanges, or wings, at the upper end, which act as air guides, keeping the anchor right end up in its fall, so that it ilways strikes point down. The barbs fold upward against the shaft until a pull on the anchor rope causes them to move outward and dig into the soil. Another ingenious part of the outfit is an elastic rope which will stretch from its normal length of 150 ft. to a limit of 300 ft. be- fore it exerts its full power. The use of this line prevents the sudden shocks which often break anchor ropes and damage ma- chines. In effect it is as though a power- ful brake were applied which gradually slows the craft and, at the same time, heads it into the wind. After having come to a stop, it is an easy matter for the pilot to reel the line in and thus bring the ship gently and easily to earth. q@ All passenger tickets sold by the Penn- sylvania railroad system now have the price and the war tax printed on them as two separate items. BUOY WITH NEW GAS MANTLE GIVES LIGHT FOR A YEAR Designed for use on light buoys that are stationed in rough seas, a new form of gas mantle of diminutive size is re- markable for an economy of consumption that enables it to operate for six months to a year on a single charge of fuel, and without attention. Though it uses only ° cu. ft. of oil gas an hour, 3 and emits but The New Gas Mantle for Use on Light Buoys, Mounted on the Reservoir That Holds a Year's Supply of Fuel

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544 POPULAR 22 cp., its rays of light are so concentrated in its diameter of %¢ in., that the brilliant spot is visible for nine miles in clear weather. The mantle and its burner are mounted on a panlike reservoir in the buoy, and the mantle itself, sturdy in its smallness, has an effective life of more than a year. HARDNESS-TESTING MACHINE GIVES DIAL READINGS The hardness of brass, alloys, is commonly such metals as steel, copper, and some of the harder tested by forcing a New Direct-Reading Hardness-Testing Machine, with Several Interchangeable Anvils for Work of Differ- ent Shapes, and a Number of Samples for Testing steel ball of known diameter at a known pressure into the material to be tested. The diameter of the concave impression is measured and the hardness thereby cal- culated. The hardness is expressed in numerals varying from 100 to 1,000, the latter representing the maximum hard- ness. The machine quite frequently used is one which measures the diameter of the impression under a microscope. A hardness tester, recently designed, in- dicates the hardness by means of a dial, making a microscope unnecessary. The steel ball is smaller than that heretofore used, having a diameter of only Me in. With this, wire of smaller diameter can be tested, and a lighter impressing load is used. Thin sheet stock, clock springs, and tubes with walls as thin as %2 in. can be tested on this machine, the latter without the insertion of a mandrel. It is known as a portable direct-reading machine, its weight being 57 lb. Six tests can be made a minute. When making the test for hardness on this new machine, MECHANICS an initial pressure is applied by turning the wheel, thereby raising the test piece until an index mark shows that the initial pressure has been applied. This insures that the test piece is held to a firm seating and that the ball breaks through dirt, rust, or other superficial matter. The dial of the index is then turned to the zero posi- tion, and the push button at the base of the machine is touched, thereby releasing a greater load. This load is then with drawn, the initial pressure being still left. The dial indicates the depth of impression made by the major load. The indentation is small and hardly noticeable. The machine is supplied with several tables to accommodate various shapes of work. LOOM ATTACHMENT WEAVES SIX-COLOR WEFT A new attachment for automatic looms, brought out by a French inventor, makes practicable the use of six colors of weft and also changes shuttles when these be- exhausted. The selection of the colors is accomplished by a spring-driven needle which follows the pattern on the pattern cylinder, and causes the shuttle come carrying the required color to come into proper alinement to be shot through the warp. Just before the contents of a shuttle is exhausted, an electric circuit is made, which, acting through another part of the mechanism, throws out the empty shuttle and replaces it with a full one. ALL-METAL JOINT FITTINGS STRENGTHEN STAKE BODIES An addition to the field of vehicle-body hardware consists of three small steel fit- tings offered by a Michi- gan manufac- turer. They are self-lock- ing devices, two of which, when applied to stake-body corners and joints, hold them _ solidly together, but do not allow ‘ j the wooden parts to touch and rub. The third is de- signed to clamp the body securely to the wagon bed. Inbuilt springs maintain a steady pressure on the parts, thus pre- venting excessive movement.

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POPULAR COMPOUND-CAM STEERING GEAR CANNOT BE REVERSED In an automobile steering gear, recently evolved by an English inventor, all gear segments, sectors, worms, and other wearing parts are eliminated, their du- ties being performed by two hardened compound- contour cams _ bearing rainst two rollers made of ball bearings of the an- nular type. These rollers re placed, one each, on the ends of a short shaft which runs through and projects from the upper portion of the steering- gear drag arm. The cams are solidly keyed to the lower end of the steering column, in such a way that when the high side of one is presented to one roller, the low side of the other is presented to the remaining roller. The re- sult is a fore-and-aft movement of the lower end of the drag arm and the drag link when the steering column is turned. The claims made for the device are that it is more nearly frictionless than other types of gears, that it is almost wear-proof, and English Design: American Service. MECHANICS Cam-Operated Irreversible The Cams are Reversed for Top and First Right-Hand View: Set in the Straight-Ahead Position. Ex- treme Right: Position for a Right Turn. Above: The Gear Makes for Safety on Rough Roads 545 This last claim any shock sus that it cannot be reversed. is based on the fact that tained by either of the front wheels, such as that caused by striking a rock or brick, will be stopped by the flat face of one or Steering Gear of the other of the cams, the effect of imparting a twisting strain to the steering column. The value of this need not be emphasized. and will not have AUTOS CROSS COLORADO RIVER ON MAKESHIFT FERRYBOAT The absence of a wagon bridge across the Colorado River, at a spot known as Bush’s Ferry, has lately been netting one enter- prising boatman a tidy sum in the course of every motoring season. Considering that many automobiles, sometimes 50 a day, cross from Cal- ifornia to Arizona, or «+ vice versa, at this point, and that every one of them is carried by this ferryman for a fee of $2.50, one deduces that his profits are nothing if not handsome. His craft is a steam launch; athwart the deck he has laid a plank platform long enough to accom- modate the largest touring car. The rail- road bridge, which spans the river not far below the ferry route, may be used by automobiles, it must be explained, only in the most pressing emergency. An Automobile has Just been Driven aboard the Makeshift Ferryboat That Plies the Colorado River between the i Shores. The Railroad Bridge is Seen in the Background California and Arizona

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NEW TYPES AND METHODS IN WAR MACHINERY HAT the development of improve- ments in military machines = and methods is not lagging is shown by the number of interesting tests and demon- strations staged during the past tew months. The scope of the experiments ranged from bullets to | planes, including } sal + ie er ] the trials, at Mineola, | . 1l., of the new ‘The Owl,” a remarkable crait of 155-ft. wing spread, with three Lil bombing plane, separate fuselages and three 400-hp. Lib erty motors, which drive it at 105 miles an hour with a load of 8,000 lb. of bombs. \n innovation in methods of carrying aerial bombs was demonstrated at Abet deen Proving Field, in Maryland, in the form of a rack fixed beneath the wing of the plane . | bombs side by idle. lo test the actual and holding a number of damage done by such bombs, some in teresting experiments were con L — 2 ducted with the obsolete battle — ship “Indiana,” which was an —_— chored in Chi sapeake B L\ The —! —_— bombs were not dropped, but placed at various selected point inside and out, above and below the water line, d the resulting wreckage caret illy studies \t t é Abe leen fie ad ( rious mechanism was disclosed in the Shape ota 1.4 vu ( ted it COPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD AND UNDERWOOD The New Bomb Rack for Airplanes: By Its Use the Bombs are Hung in Rows under the Wings of the Plane, Where They Occupy No Useful Space, Are Out of the Way in Landing, and Yet may be Released with Ease and Precision The Giant New Bombing Plane, ‘‘The Owl,” 155 Feet, and Is Remarkable for Three Separa Motors of 400 Horsepower Each. This Form 8,000 Pounds of Bombs, and When Fully Develops a Speed of Big American Naval Air Bombs of the Type Tested: Two of Them were Dropped from 2,500 Feet, and the Concussion was Felt More than a Mile Away ; e a \ >) Recently Tested: It Has a Wing Spread of te Fuselages. It is Driven by Three Liberty idable Machine Has a Carrying Capacity of Loaded, with the Three Engines Running, 105 Miles an Hour 546

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7 “7 » 4 % a 2 Pie em + aS re — 1 ss _ a — a

The Obsolete Battleship “Indiana,” Subjected to the Explosions of Aerial Bombs, to Determine the Possible Amount of Damage That can be In- flicted by Airplane Attack: The Bombs were Not Dropped, but were Placed at Various Points inside and outside the Vessel, above and below the Water Line, the Bursts Seen Here Being under Water alongside the Hull

Looking Aft along the Main Deck of the “Indiana” Just after a Bomb Test: The Extensive Dam- age Indicated was Caused by a Single Bomb. Such a Hit with a Bomb Dropped from a Plane would Be Practically a Matter of Pure Luck, as a SGShip’s Anti-Aircraft Guns would Prevent the Approach of a Bombing Plane to a Position Close Enough for Accuracy

The New Military Tank Has Light Cannon and Machine Guns Mounted in a Turret. Not Only can It Perform the Usual Tank Maneuvers, but by Removing the Endless Treads, It is Converted into an Armored Car, Capable of 15 Miles an Hour on the Road re

A Queer Mounting for a 1.4-Inch Gun, in the “V” between the Cylinders of a Liberty Motor: It Fires through the Hub of the Propeller, Which is Driven by Gearing from the Crankshaft Be- low. The Method of Mounting is De- ————————— Four Machine Guns Fired from an Airplane, with the Engine Racing at Top Speed: Two of the

: asl Guns Shoot through the Propeller, Their Position and the Gun Ghosts Accurately, Miche: being Fixed, While the Other Two are Swivel: . re . - a One-Pound Shell, or a Solid Shot Mounted behind the Wings. The Plane is Blocke to Keep It from Starting down the Field

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548 POPULAR gine block. to solve the recoil problem. It This arrangement is declared shoots a Rod An Extraordinary Tug of War between an American Artillery Tractor and a Huge Six- Cylinder German Tractor: The Big German was Pulled Backward Easily l-lb. explosiy iell or solid shot hrough tl ( e airplane propeller, which is driven by gear- ing from the crankshaft below. Four machine guns on an aiur- ] ] ¢_ahlvy 1 plane, two adjustably mounted behind the wings, and two fixed to fire throug! the propeller, formed the subject of another in- teresting test. A particularly striking demon- stration was that of a new tank which can be converted into an armored car, capable of 15 miles an hour, by removing the endless treads. This formidable war vehicle mounts both ma- chine guns and light cannon. A tug of war between a regular 20-ton American artillery tractor enormous six- cylinder German machine proved quite en- and an Left: Shell has Just been Fired through Them. tertaining, as the German pulled A 1,000-Foot Row of Cardboard Screens, Arranged for Testing the Behavior of a Projectile. Right: MECHANICS monster was backward, despite its utmost : effort. The firing of ex perimental shells through a series of cardboard screens, placed at close intervals for 1,000 ft. provided an interesting study of projectile bi havior in flight, as did also the test of a new rubber-tired machine-gun mount, from which tracer bullets were fired at toy The American Winner of the Tug of War, a Six-Cylinder Machine of 40,000 Pounds’ Weight, Which Demonstrated the Superior Traction of the Endless Tread balloons in the air, usually scoring a hit, thanks to the line of smoke. A gun mount of the railroad type known as the “sliding mount,” with no recoil mechanism, was fired to show the action of a series of brakes that rest on the track rails and check the backward movement A 3.3-Inch Experimental Shells Made by Combining Sections of Various Shapes, for Testing Shell Design and the Riffing of Guns

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549 POPULAR MECHANICS A 12-Inch Coast- Defense Gun, Mounted alongside the 14-Inch Gun While the Lat- ter was Fired in Test against | a Target of Armor Plate, 450 | Yards Away, Was the Victim | a Peculiar Acci- | dent A Splinter, Broken from the Armor Plate When the Big Shell Perforated It, was Thrown Back into the Muzzle of the Smaller Gun, Injuring the Rifling Gun Crews Re- nain Carefully under Shelter during Tests A 12-Inch Coast-Defense Gun on a Special Railway Mount, Which Enables It to be Turned through a Complete Circle, and Trained | upon Ships or Other M gets, on Land or Sea, ving Tar- No Matter A Machine Gun Mounted on What Their Position a New Rubber-Tired Carriage, Designed for Rapid and @ Easy Movement over the Ground: In Firing Position, the Tripod Stand Comes into Use, and the Wheels Are Clear of the Ground An Experimen Mounting for an Machine Gun tal Tripod Anti-Aircraft The Gun can be Moved in Any Direction with the Utmost Freedom, but in Action It Proved Rather Difficult fer the Gunner to Hold It Firmly on the Target . of the car. At an elevation of 15°, the car slid back 4 ft., while at 54° elevation, the recoil was only 4 in. Most spectacular of all was the test firing of a 14-in. coast- defense rifle against heavy armor plate, which was cleanly perforated at a range of 450 yards. BAD CHECKS ON EXHIBITION STOP REQUESTS FOR CASH Beside the cashier's desk in a certain western is a bulletin board on which is mounted a small but significant collec- tion of bank checks, all bearing the sinis- ter mark “N. S. F.” Above them, in siz- able lettering, is the legend, “Why we cannot afford to cash checks for strangers: They all had honest faces.” This silent but conspicuous declared to store @ After four years of experiments, French railway engineers announce that the wood of the mangrove tree is rot-proof, due to a density almost twice as great as that of oak and to the presence of tannin. * protest is have reduced requests for similar favors.

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5d50 MACHINE PACKS METAL TUBES WITH SAND, FOR BENDING The filling of lengths of metal tubing, or pipe, with sand to prevent crushing The Inner Framework is Vibrated by the Blows of an Electric or Air Hammer, Packing the Sand Solidly hand, and is a slow job at the best. To speed up this work, an eastern factory has installed an apparatus which feeds the sand from a hopper, filling the tubes rap- idly and packing it more solidly than can be done by hand. The device is extremely simple, consisting of an angle-iron main frame in which a swinging frame is sus- pended by chains; a sand hopper, and a number of lengths of hose, which serve to conduct the sand from the hopper to the tubes. These are clamped in the sec- ond frame, which is kept vibrating from side to side by the blows of an electric or compressed-air riveting hammer. FELT-LINED CEILINGS ELIMINATE ECHOES A remarkable example of the extent to which nerve-racking sounds, such as those emitted by typewriters, telegraph instruments, etc., can be muffled by finish- ing walls and ceilings with panels com- ,posed principally of felt, is furnished by a large room in a recently erected office building in the city of Chicago. Formerly the din created by a battery of type- POPULAR MECHANICS that the stenographers tired much more quick ly than could be accounted for by the volume of work they were performing. writers caused such a nerve strain Soundproofing the room deadened the millions of echoes and resulted in creat- ing a restful atmosphere and in a greater efficiency of the stenographic force. Now, with all the machines in action, a conver- sation in ordinary tones can be carried on without effort, the sound of the voice seeming to be intensified and confined within an area about 6 it. square. Another odd effect is that a signal gong in the room gives out a sound as though the bell were mutiled with cotton or TINY CHILD DIRECTS TRAFFIC AS SYMBOL OF SAFETY NEED Of all the efforts to promote the s ifety of public places, the child is the nucleus —the central thought that energizes the war on driving, and gives em- phasis to the need for stringent control of traffic. There can be little doubt that the image of helpless childhood, if it could be impressed permanently mind of the thoughtless type driver, would serve as an effective brake on the - oh t reckless on the ol mania for speed and the spirit of chance taking. With something of this in mind, Harry Park, a safety worker of Portland, Ore., recently staged a striking tableau. \t one of that busy city’s busiest cross- ings a tiny girl of five years was set at the difficult task of directing the heavy traffic, with the aid of a 5-ft. semaphore made for the occasion. Not only was the experiment a distinct success in the pet formance, but it is safe to say that every motorist passing that way absorbed the symbolical significance of the figure— childhood, represented by little Virginia Elizabeth Olsen, appealing to all drivers of the world. The Symbol of Childhood’s Appeal to the Motorists— a Little Girl Directing the Traffic of a Busy Crossing in Portland, Oregon cloth. — oS

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POPULAR MECHANICS 55 FLEXIBLE METALLIC TEAM NOZZLE STEAM HOSE CETYLENE- ¢ oe i GAS T _ — 4. weet Ee) * ig ue ———— = RESERVOIRS sal } ° ~™ | ve: Drilling Ice Cakes STEAM- ' »\ Steam Jet. Right: GENERATING!" '! sa | ' fl b= Sh0 netrating Six Feet of con. = - | | 1 Ice in 25 Seconds. ASBESTOS Ma et Cutaway View of JACKET : iratus, Showing e Flash-Type Heating “OXLENE-ii— fo aX - a ( ls and the Compact = mac . Arrangement of the Unit HIGH-PRESSURE LIVE-STEAM HAND-POWER STUMP PULLER JET THAWS FROZEN PIPES OPERATED BY ONE MAN y conflagrations, which, in their \ very simple hand-power appliances ing, would have been easily con- pulling stumps, but also adapted tor ed, have grown to disastrous propor- heavy hoisting o1 ns because frozen hydrants delayed traction job, is etting water. To combat this, a pipe- made up of a steel hawing apparatus has been developed by framework — con eastern inventor, which applies a jet of taining a drum uperheated steam, at a temperature of connected 1,.000° F. and at high pressure, to the in- through single ide instead of the outside of the frozen and double-reduc pipe. The boiler of the device is what is tion gearings, to known as a “flash-type,” in which coiled two power shaft tubes are raised to a red heat by an acety- by either of which lene flame and the water then injected in’ the drum can be 1 a small intermittent stream. This system turned by mean — | results in an instantaneous supply of su- of a crank. Thi perheated steam. Surrounding the tubes single reduction 1 is a chamber containing the feed water. used for the hoist \ ten-jet burner, a hand pump, and a_ ing of compara length of rubber hose complete the appa-_ tively light objects, while by using t ratus. Portable tanks contain the com- double reduction any effort, up to pressed acetylene gas. During a recent 20,000-lb. capacity of the in. cable, 1 demonstration to members of the New be exerted. Special multiplying atta York fire department, holes were melted ments are supplied, wh: lesired, which through 6 ft. of solid ice, contained in 6-in. increase the power of the appara ti pipes, in exactly 25 seconds, the steam jet maximum of 100,000 Ib. When pulling eating its way through very much as a_ stumps or trees, a high tripod, built of sharp stick would penetrate a stiff jellylike heavy timbers, again multiplies the lever mass, age to 150,000 Ib., which has the effect of ott removing the stump by a straight upward @ Belgian workers who have served long lift instead of the usual side pull. The in one occupation are being given “indus- device is equipped throughout with rolle: trial decorations” by the government, first bearings and, with 100 ft. of cable wound class for 35 years’ service, or 30 years of on the drum, is light enough to be easily office work, and second-class for 25 years. carried.

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AIR-MAIL DELIVERIES FACILITATED BY POSTAL RADIO STATIONS By S. R. WINTERS TRETCHING some 2,700 miles across the country, and operating in conjunc- tion with the coast-to-coast air-mail serv- ice, a line of 15 radio stations had been completed and was functioning on Novem- ber 1, last year. This exploitation of wire- less as an aid in the transmission of letters and parcels, was authorized by the Post Office Department at a cost of $26,000, because telephone and telegraph com- panies could not render uninterrupted service imparting infor- mation as to inter-sta- tion traffic, the distribu- tion of meteorological data, and as a medium for transcontinental re lays trom Washington. The fact that 65 air- planes are used in the transportation of 200,000 first-class letters daily suggests the magnitude of the coast-to-coast air route, involving the use of wireless. The depart- ment established out- m right 10 of the 15 radio stations which interlock with an equal number of flying fields main- tained for relieving the railways of their postal burdens. Army and navy wireless stations are used where practicable, in or- der to avoid duplication of construction and to eliminate working interference. Similarly, the radio station of the Signal Corps, at Dayton, Ohio, is shared by the Post Office Department. Other government stations used are those at Cleveland, Chicago, San Francisco, and Sacramento. The actually new postal radio stations thus are 10 in number. The first one was established at College Park, Md. The others are at Bellefonte, Pa.: Str Louis. Mo.: Omaha, and North Platte, Neb.;: Cheyenne and Rock Springs, Wyo.; Salt Lake City, Utah; and at Elko and Reno, Nev. The work of establishing this wire- less system, begun in August, 1920, was fraught with many difficulties. Personnel and equipment were nonexistent; sites for the stations had to be determined, and to do the work only $26,000 was available. Efforts to obtain apparatus from manu- facturers resulted in promises of uncertain delivery in from 12 to 14 months; how- B52 The Wireless Station of the United States Post Office Department at Col- lege Park, ever, by searching electrical-supply shops, sufficient apparatus was assembled, the U.S. Shipping Board contributing a major portion of the equipment. Considerable difficulty was also experienced at various points in securing masts, and in the ex- tension of desired power. Then, too, ransportation facilities had to be coaxed in hauling materials from isolated points, The sites, for the most part, are located on government property. This chain of 15 radio stations will be used in- ] stead of a_ transconti- nental telegraph line, headquarters being maintained at the post- office building, at Wash- ington. The enrollment of wireless as an aid in the conveyance of postal matter by the air route, is claimed to speed de- livery by from 24 to 48 hours. Sixteen radio men are in the employ of the department, and it is planned, when sufh- cient personnel is ob- tained, to equip all air- mail planes with direc- tion finders. If funds are available, ground and airplane radio tele- phones will likewise be installed. The station located at College Park, Md., of- some novel construction features. Being situated directly on the flying field, an antenna differing radically from the standard type had to be found. After some experimenting, a satisfactory form of aerial was found, consisting of a 500-ft. antenna supported on a number of 25-ft. masts. In place of the regulated ground, a tuned counterpoise is used. Maryland fers STOCK FARM GROWS ANIMALS TO SUPPLY LABORATORIES A stock farm remarkable for the fact that its only market product consists of guinea pigs, rabbits, and other animals used for scientific experiment, has just been established in Texas by a former member of the U. S. Medical Corps. The owner, a student of pathology and biology, is supplying a number of large hospital and other laboratories in the Southwest.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 553 ~ ~ - ats eg Fm gem . - one —* er, tg eee en ee =, Dotene = The United States Battleship ‘California’ Launched without a Propeller, being Towed down San Francisc Bay by Seven Tugs, Two at the Bow, Four at the Stern, and One Running at Large PROPELLERLESS BATTLESHIP TOWED BY SEVEN TUGS 4 \n interesting problem in marine tow- presented itself just after the recent hi in San Francisco Bay, of the U. S. battleship “California,” which took the water without a propeller, and with 30 miles of narrow channel separating it from adequate drydock. Amid much skeptical comment, seven tugs were ngaged, two being hitched to the bow nd two to each side of the stern, while the remaining one ran at large, ready to help at any point. The unusual fleet, di- rected from the warship’s bridge, per- formed with remarkable harmony, and in less than 24 hours had delivered its big charge safely to its berth. 1 earest AUTO SPARK INTENSIFIER IS ALSO A TELLTALE \n oddity of automobile ignition, known to many motorists, is that if the spark is made to jump a short gap be- fore reaching the spark plugs, the lat- ter, though badly fouled, will fire the gas quite sat- isfactorily. This fact is turned to ad- vantage in a cowl-board instrument, in which there are as many gaps as there are spare plugs in the engine with which it is used. The ignition wires, instead of being connected directly to the plugs, are first run to the iistrument. This puts a gap in series with each plug. As the sparks can be seen jumping the gaps of the device, it not only acts as intensifier, but also indicates which ] circuit may be at fault, in the event « failure of ignition resulting in missing EASILY WORKED CHECK WRITER MAKES INDELIBLE FIGURES Bank checks for any desired amount are written with two motions of the hand by a new otice appliance invented in The Check Writer Discharging a Filled-In Check: The Figures are Set with a Motion of the Keys, and Printed with a Pull of the Lever Minnesota, which looks like an adding machine, but is much simpler. The blanl check is inserted in a slot at the front; the amount keys on top are pressed with one motion: a handle at the side is brought forward and back, and the check comes out with the amount line neatly filled in. The figures and characters are printed by special type which perforates the paper, preventing subsequent tamper- ing. The method of setting up the de- sired line is interesting. The printing-cyl- inder shaft always turns the same dis- tance, but the cylinders are mounted fric- tionally upon it, and stops, actuated by the various keys, keep them from turning farther than the correct distance.

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4 POPULAR PLASTER MODEL OF A FACTORY BUILDING IS A WORK OF ART An exhibition piece which is attracting deal of attention at the various cycle shows is a small-scale reproduction of a bicycle factory. The model is so faithful to minute details, such as the glass panes in every window and skylight, the railroad and trolley tracks,

a great large eastern

MECHANICS $34,000 to $45,000 each. They will handle no regular radio business, but will relay calls for help to the station. nearest wireless TITANIUM FROM IRON ORE IS WHITE-LEAD SUBSTITUTE Large percentages of titanium, which have prevented the economical working of certain iron ores found abundantly in Sweden and Norway, may prove now to be a blessing in disguise. By a new elec trolytic process, the in- truding element is sepa rated as titanium oxide, which is pure white in and has all the desirable properties of white lead as a base for paint making. Its great virtue for this use is that color

This Replica of a Large Bicycle-Factory Building has Been a Feature of Its Cost $5,000 to and Travels in Its Own Compartment, a Special Packing Case Recent Cycle Shows. It Weighs 800 Pounds, and the small figure standing in front, molded to exact that six weeks of painstaking effort were required to con- struct it. Spectators are surprised when informed that the structure weighs 800 lb. and cost $5,000. <A special lighting ar- rangement throws the pure white of the building up in strong contrast against a dark background, and gives the effect of bathing it in a flood of soft moonlight. sc ile, FOR SOUTH ALASKAN COAST Seven prominent points of land that jut from the southern coast of Alaska are to be provided with radio-compass Sta- tions, according to pres- ent plans of the Navy Department. The sites selected are Rugged Is- land, near Seward; Tonki Point, and capes Chu gatch, Hinchinbrook, St. Elias, Spencer, and Om- maney. When they are installed, ships in the north Pacific will be able to get their bearings at any time from the near- est two stations, by the familiar triangulation method. The stations, with quarters for five eae men, will cost from Zone, it is nonpoisonous, while durability is high, and it is not dissolved by acids or alkalies. So promising a by-product will doubtless encourage the working of a vast neglected source of iron, Build, WALLED-IN BATHING BEACH FOILS MAN-EATING SHARKS The waters in the vicinity of the Pan ama Canal Zone are so thickly infested by sharks, and so bold do these terrors be- come in their hunting, that it has become a risk for bathers to take a dip at an open beach. To overcome this, the waterfront at Colon has been walled in, for a suff cient distance, to afford protection. Small openings, placed at intervals in the con crete wall, permit of i the sea water. a free circulation of

A Substantial Concrete Seawall, Erected along the Waterfront at Colon, Protects Bathers from the Menace of the Dreaded Man-Eating Sharks

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STUDYING VESUVIUS IN ITS LATEST ACTIVITIES ee Ss At the Left: A Stream of Molten Incandescent Lava Pouring down the Slope of the New Eruptive Cone. It has Melted a Bed for Its Current through the Old Solid-Lava Floor. At the Right: The New Cone, Photographed from the Floor of the Great Crater during a Com- paratively Quiet Interval in the Eruptive Activity Members of the Scientific Party Directed by Frank A. Perret, Volcanologist of Washington, District of Columbia, Measuring the Temperature of the Stream of Molten Lava with an Electric Pyrom- eter: The Instrument’s Reading Was 1,850 Degrees Fahrenheit. and the Operator was Forced tc Turn His Face Away from the Fierce Radiation While Holding the Contact Member in the Torrent @IOE WORLD PHOTOS

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556 POPULAR MECHANICS GAS BLOW-OUT IN OIL WELL CREATES HUGE PIT Sudden release of the pressure in a sub- found to be buried in a chasm 50 to 60 ft. terranean gas pocket, when it was pene- deep,and some 30 ft. across, around which ——— - the ejected earth Lad formed a crater rim, 25 ft. high. Gas continued for several hours to issue from fissures within 100 ft. of the well. About $25,000 loss was caused by damaged equipment and extra labor to clear away the big pile of dirt, so that drilling operations could be resumed. The Shattered Remnants of the Derrick, Partly Buried in the Chasm Created by the Sudden Blow-Out of Gas trated by an oil-well drill in a recent California operation, resulted in an explosion that threw hun- dreds of tons of earth high in the air. The pocket was struck at about 900 ft., and when the flying soil had settled, the drill derrick was Clearing Away the Crater Rim, 25 Feet Deep, Formed When the 60-Foot Pit was Opened by the Gas Explosion -_ ALASKANS SKIM THE FROZEN TRAILS VIA MOTOR SLED ava atacaeatiean "THE picturesque dog team and Eskimo sledge may be driven from the far northern trails by the unhand- some but iadinanatiline and efficient motor sled. A resident of Nome, deciding that he wished to use his car during the season when the roads are buried under several inches, or even feet, of snow and ice, stripped it down to the chassis to eliminate weight, and mounted it on runners. One broad, tobogganlike runner supports the weight of the front end of the chassis, and is connected to the steering link so that it is easily turned by the steering wheel. Two more runners, placed in the middle, carry their part of the weight and give rise to the smooth, gliding sensation peculiar to sleigh riding. The rear wheels perform their regular driving function, and, that they may have ample traction, each is equipped with a wide tread, to which are attached transverse trac- tion cleats. The vehicle develops high speed, and is operated with great ease and smoothness.

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POPULAR MECHANICS cr Amateur Voyagers Exploring the Upper Reaches of the Snake River, in Idaho, with the Aid of a Big Raft That was Built for the Purpose at a Wilderness BIG RAFT CARRIES EXPLORERS DOWN WILD SNAKE RIVER For a river trip that is all downstream, through currents and rapids of unknown turbulence, it cannot be denied that a raft is the safest and most comfortable means of navigation. That was the kind of craft decided upon by a party of adven- turers who recently set out to explore the upper reaches of the Snake River, Idaho's famous but only partly known scenic stream. The amateur argonauts, eight in number, selected the Wyoming state line as their going-in point, and there became patrons of a primitive sawmill to the ex- tent of 7,300 ft. of red-pine lumber. With this material they constructed, of two thicknesses of 3-in plank, a raft, 80 ft. long and 16 ft. wide, with two 20-ft. sweeps at each end for steering, a raised deck for the dry storage of camping equip ment, and a shallow hold near the stern fitted with bunks especially for the com- fort of the ladies in the party. So sturdy a craft made easy work of the swift stream’s erratic vagaries, and on it the voyagers, guided by an experienced pilot, floated for 200 miles through magnificent mountain scenery accessible in no other way, and enjoyed such hunting and trout fishing as is to be found only in unex- plored country. And at the end of the unusual journey the raft was sold, as lum- ber, for a sum that practically paid the expense of the trip, making the unusual adventure a very inexpensive one. Sawmill, and Sold for Its Lumber after Making the Trip INVERTED SHUT-OFF OR CHECK VALVE IS A NEW DESIGN In many pipe-line systems it is nece sary, or advi both shut-off and check valves,the latter to al- low an unin- terrupted flow in one direc- tion only. Heretofore, when such installations have been needed in overhead hori- zontal lines, the practice has been to use two dis- tinct valves for the reason that there has been no single device avail- able. An eastern inventor now announces the development of an inverted combina tion shut-off and check valve, which, it is claimed, functions equally well as either. In appearance the new valve closely re- sembles the conventional type of globe stop valve, but, in construction, differs in that the valve disk is not rigidly attached to the stem, but is free to move upon it vertically when it is screwed in or, in other words, when the valve is in the open posi tion. This gives the check-valve effect.

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508 POPULAR NEW LIFEBOATS AND DAVITS INCREASE SEA SAFETY Lifeboat davits so designed that one man, by turning a crank, can lower a boat with ease, are la aees now being in- h stalled on a num- \ - § ber of ocean aM liners, greatly in- ie creasing the po- ‘i tential safety of & sea travel as well One of the New-Type Lifeboats, and the Tackle by Which One Man can Lower the Boat Easily by Turning the Crank as the comfort of passengers, if use of the boats becomes necessary. The one crank operates both the outward swing of the davit and the falls. Because of the im- provement in ease of lowering, larger life- boats can be used, with more commodious storage space for fresh water and pro- visions. The new boats are nonsinkable, less sharp of bow and stern than the older models, and designed to ride well in the heaviest seas. AUTO RUNNING-BOARD MAT IS SELF-DRAINING A ribbed-rubber nonskid running-board mat for automobiles is molded in such a way that the bottoms of the spaces be- oa al The Spaces between the Ribs of the Self-Draining Running-Board Mat for Autos are Pitched from the Center toward the Ends MECHANICS tween the ribs are pitched from the center toward the ends, so that the surfaces slope like a roof. As a result, the device offers a firm foothold under most any weather condition, it being self-draining and, to a large extent, self-cleaning. Metal eyelets reinforce the attachment holes. PALM OIL FOR MOTOR FUEL SUCCESSFUL IN TESTS African palm oil, which is of a buttery consistency when cold, does not superfi- cially recommend itself as a fuel for internal-com- bustion engines, but recent tests conducted in Brussels, Belgium, have shown it quite successful for that purpose. A Swedish engine of two- cycle semi-Dieseltype was used, with a fuel tank containing two wire- screen partitions, The oil, which liquefies at about 98° F., and ignites at 415°, was heated by jacket as water or other means, passing then through the screens to the injection pump. The engine was started, in the tests, with crude oil, but in the temperature of the African Congo, where it is desired to use it, it is thought the starting oil will not be needed. CHUCK WITH INCLOSED CAMS TIGHTENS AUTOMATICALLY No wrench, or other tool, is needed for new upon and in- its work. jaws of a chuck tightening the genious form of Utilizing a self-contained cam _ action, the appliance, designed by an Illinois in- ventor, is wholly auto- matic. The three usual sliding jaws are pivotally connected to three rocker arms inside the casing, the opposite ends of the arms carrying rollers that bear upon a three-way cam in the center. When the hub is turned in the casing, the arms operate to move the jaws inward with great force.

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POPULAR HOMING PIGEONS PART OF U. S. AIR-SERVICE PERSONNEL MECHANICS ONSIDERABLE attention is being devoted to the training of homing pigeons by naval airmen. As soon as a bird becomes old and strong enough to train, it is assigned a number which is entered on the muster sheet of Thus is the the station to which it belongs and also imprinted on a light aluminum band fastened about its leg. feathered auxiliary sworn into the service as a full-fledged emergency flier. Planes are not allowed to leave their stations without a full complement of pigeons, as, in emergency, they can be depended upon to return to their lofts in a straight line, carrying messages tied to their legs. pigeons carried important messages a total distance of During recent 700 miles at an average speed of 32 maneuvers at Pensacola, Fla., 32 miles an hour. illustration shows two white homing pigeons, liberated from a seaplane, circling to get their bearings for a Straightaway home flight. BOY SCOUTS BUILD AUTO OF JUNKED PARTS \ damaged stationary engine which the owner parted with for the sum of $10, the — use it gear set, frame, and the front and rear axles from inany different makes of cars, plus considerable ingenuity and plenty of hard work, resulted in a perf ctly serviceable mo- rr truck, owned and ult by Boy-Scout Troop No. 2 of Maxwell, Ia. The engine, mount- ed directly on the front f the car, is belted to an old auto wheel, which transmits the power to a central transmission by way of a long shaft. from here to the rear wheels the drive is by the conventional propeller shaft and live rear axle. Speed was sacrificed in favor of reliability, in the design, with the result that while the vehicle has a maxi- mum speed of only 10 miles an hour, it recently m A Homemade Car Built by a Boy-Scout to ci Wrecked and Damaged Machines: Are Prominent uffler can be depended upon to keep running — State fair, where at that rate for hours on end. irry their bed rolls, Troop from The it Odds Power Plant Features , | ne scout tents, etc and End and The homemade c ade the round trip to the low created al sensitio 5 al on long hikes, and, possibly, to ride on dur- ing the return trip.

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560 LARGE MAP-SUPPORTING FRAME HAS ILLUMINATED CANOPY Business concerns, schools, and other institutions using large wall maps, will be interested in a fixture in which a canopy, POPULAR MECHANICS NEW GAME OF “TEAM GOLF” HAS PLAYER FOR EACH CLUB Golf played by competing teams of specialists, like baseball or cricket, is an interesting innovation that is gaining pop ularity in England. The conventional number of players is six to each team, but the arrange ment is flexible. Each player uses only one club, the captain of the team determining the circum stances under which it is played. Thus the driver, brassie ar cleek, iron, nashie, niblick, and put er are not merely dif

This Selfi-Supporting Map equipped with light bulbs, reflects the light downward upon the maps, which are at- tached to panels and the latter hung in the apparatus in a booklike arrangement. The outfit needs no anchoring to the floor or walls, as four widely spaced legs torm an ample support. A fifth leg sustains the of the top and bottom rails upon which the map panels are suspended by pivots in their ends. The maps supplied with the device are finished with a water- proof film and may be marked with water colors, ink, or pencil, and also washed without injury. center SELLING OLD AUTO FOR NEW IS PUNISHED BY COURT Selling a used auto under the represen- tation that it was new was adjudged a breach of the law by a jury in an Illinois court the other day, and the defendant in the case, a dealer, was found guilty of operating a confidence game. Though the car in question had not been long used, a chattel mortgage, executed and recorded by the previous owner, -was ac- cepted as evidence that it was second hand. The decision, the first of its kind in the State, is regarded as a new assur- ance of protection to car buyers, enabling them to hold dealers to the letter of their statements, and to accept only the kind and condition of car agreed upon,

Rack Has an Electrically Illuminated Canopy Which Reflects the Light Where Needed ferent clubs, but repre sent separate players, each, when the niceties of the game are observed, selected for his or her ability and dexterity in that particular play. By —_.._ this means the aristo cratic but exclusive game is given all the sociable advantages that make other athletic sports so interesting and popular. CHEMICAL ELEMENTS SHOWN AS IMAGES ON SCREEN The projection method of ascertaining the elements in a given sample, is nov being used by chemists in laboratory prac tice throughout the country. A carbon are light is arranged in such a way that with a reflecting hood, a screen in a darl room is made to record the elements present in images of color and by light changes. The samples are placed in a cup-shaped cavity in the positive-carbon pole. <A 110-volt current amperes passes into the carbon, and an arc action takes place in the compound. Flame-tip well as other characteristics of the elements present in the sample are recorded on the screen, and a comprehe- sive analysis of the compound is obtained } by this simple process. of 25 ci rhe Tr as @A course in automobile maintenance and repair, inaugurated at Wellesley Col lege, includes not only theory but actual work in the dismantling, assembly and re- pair of the various cat parts. The women students also master the electrical system, which is explained in the laboratory of the physics department.

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Left: Cleaning Out the Old, Burned-Out Tungsten Wire through the Reamed Hole in the Tip, Preparatory to Relacing with New Wire. Right: The Reaming Table, Where, after Warming the Glass, the Tip is Removed, and the Opening Enlarged to a Half Inch RENEWING TUNGSTEN LAMPS By FRANK B. HOWE A®! \W western firm has succeeded in Following this, the lat p goes to the “lac- making commercially practicable the ing table,’ where girls, working through renewing of tungsten electric lamps, after the reamed hole in the end of the lamp, theyhavebeen ga — lip the terminal burned out in use. l Phe old globes are irst put through a special glass-clean- ing bath, in a tub washer. Then they are warmed in a flame stand, so that sudden heat will not cause them to ex- plode, and the tip is broken off. After the tip is removed, , , ing, an instrument they are “reamed,” Lacing New Tungsten Wire into the Old Lamps: Using resembling the de which consists in a Special Tool, the Wire is Clamped to One of the vice u burning alarge hole, Terminals, Laced around the Hocks, and Made Fast ires and remove all the old tungsten wire from the little hooks. New-drawn wire is then clamped to the negative ter minal (the “leading- in’ wire) and then laced around the old hooks and clamped to the positive ter- minal. For this lac ed to remove olives from a nar- about |!» in. in diameter, in the glass at row bottle at the table,is used. After this the tip end. rather delicate operation has been ci \nother special washing bath is then pleted, an acid that absorbs any old ga used to remove the deposit inside the lamp that may be left in the lamp is placed on that is characteristic of burned-out globes. the leading-in wire, and the lamp is ready Left: Fusing Short Glass Tubes onto the Open Ends of the Refilled Bulbs, Ready for the Vacuum Pumps. Right: Pumps Exhausting the Air from the Refilled Lamps, While the Vacuum is Electrically Tested 561

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562 POPULAR MECHANICS to be sealed up again. It goes first to the is then put in the vacuum pump to be “tubulator,’ who welds a piece of glass exhausted, which takes about eight min- tubing, 4 in. long, to the reamed hole. It utes. The degree of vacuum is then tested by means of a spark coil. With the pumps still at work, a‘gas flame is applied to the glass tube on the end of the globe, and as there is a sucking tendency, the softened glass is drawn inward, forming the tip. The rest of the glass tube breaks off. The lamp finally goes to a testing table, where current is passed through it, at a voltage slowly increased from zero to 110. It is now completely restored, and after another cleaning, to remove grease and dirt, is ready for packing. a) an Pe ; ee. The renewed lamps are equal to new From Left to Right: An Old, Burned-out Lamp, a ON€S; hence, the enormous saving that is 3ulb Cleaned and Reamed, One That has been made possible by this process is self Refilled and Tubulated, and a Finished Lamp evident EQUIPMENT IS ALL ELECTRIC IN BIG CANADIAN CAFE Electrical cooking is now common prac- the city lines or the local railway system tice, but the recent electrification of a by simply throwing a switch, so that un- large cafeteria in a city of western Canada _ interrupted service may be assured. For —— , - reducing the _ railway | voltage from 2,300 to 220 and 110, two 50-kva. transformers are in stalled in a_ fireproof basement vault. From them, heavily insulated and running in iron con- duits, three cables of 100 Above: The Type of Electric Oven Used for Baking Breads and Pastries in the Newly Equipped Cafeteria. Right: The New Electric Range, De- clared to Be the Largest in Canada is remarkable in more than one way. Current is used not only for op- erating the mammoth range, and the big bake oven in the display win- dow, but for general heating, lighting, ven- : tilation, and refrigeration as well. An in- wires each carry the heavy current to a teresting feature of the installation is the distributing box, to which all equipment provision for receiving current from either is connected.

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ae One of the Street-Car-Less Streets of Bowling Green, Conveying a Good Idea of the Local Automobile Den- sity: There is Reported to Be One Car to Every Three Inhabitants, and Strict Traffic Rules are Needed AUTOMOBILES DISPLACE TROLLEY LINE IN OLD SOUTHERN CITY By CHARLES E. MACE A' FTOMOBILES are slowly but surely cars met one of the few remaining pedes crowding the tram cars off the streets trians “head-on” at a street intersection, of scores of American cities, but Bowling The victim brought suit against the trac Green, Ky., is perhaps the first community tion company and won his case. The com vhere the traction company has shouted pany, being unable to pay the damages “Kamerad,” and given up the fight. awarded, turned over the entire equipment This thriving little municipality, with a to the thankless plaintiff. The latter population of 15,000, claims the distinction rightly considered the further operation of issuing more automobile licenses than of the tram cars an unprofitable venture iny other city of its size in the country. and promptly junked it. Rails and wire It is said that there is an automobile to were removed from the streets and sold every three inhabitants. frathe regulations and parking rules, ordinarily necessary only in very large cities, are rigidly enforced here. This condition is due largely to the fact that Bowling Green 1s the center of activities in the western Kentucky oil fields, and an automobile is a necessary piece of equipment in operations tor oil, Those of the in habitants who are not engaged in some way in the oil business — and these are hopelessly in the minority — have be- come prosperous through supplying the oil men with the necessities of , life, and with it all, the - = number of automobiles The Last of the Bowling Green Street Cars, Driven Out of Business has increased dailv, and the Autos, and Ready to be Sold for Scrap the tramway has consequently suffered, as scrap metal, and the automobile now until recently it “gave up the ghost” com- holds full sway on all the highways and pletely. byways of Bowling Green, an early ex- The final blow came when one of the ample of the future motorized city. ex oy

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564 POPULAR MECHANICS Lacking the Color of the Originals, the Wax Miniatures Give an Idea Only of ing Work. The Artist Uses a Metal line of the Subject and Then Build Colored Successful revival of a lost art reflects more credit on the artist than the mere improvising of a new one, for real art does not take kindly to novelty. cution of y-* 41 > by tne exe- a series of charming miniatures done in colored wax, an American artist, Miss Ethel Frances Mundy, has made available to contem- porary connoisseurs a mode of portrai- ture that flourished in ancient Greece and Rome, appeared sporadically up to the 18th century in England, France, Italy, Spain, and even America, and then dis- appeared. It was the study of these ancient works, still existent by the grace of collectors and museums, that gave the American worker her inspiration. With few technical data to guide her, and a confusing variety of method evident among the old masters, the devotee en- gaged a chemist to devise a wax that would not melt after its application, and began a search for colors that were perma- Photographic Reproductions of Fow the General Character of the Interest- Plate as “Canvas,” Tracing the Out- ing the Picture with Particles of Wax nent and without chemical interaction. A steel scapula and a set of improvised orangewood tools composed the working outfit, and metal plates coated with a film of wax became the “canvas.” On such a plate the outline of the subject, gener- ally in profile, is first traced with a sharp point. Then begins the real work of build ing up the miniature image with particles of wax, into each of which has been knead- eda special color, some of the tints being brought from China. The finished por- traits, besides the interest of their unusual technique, are remarkable for a delicacy, a fidelity, and a warmth of detail that would do credit to the better-known, and seemingly more flexible, mediums of ar tistic expression, @iIt has been found that spoilage of apples from scald, while in transportation or be almost entirely pre- vented by wrapping them in oiled paper storage, can per. NEW HOG-CHOLERA VACCINE SEEMS SUCCESSFUL Recent experiments with a new hog- cholera vaccine by the Bureau of Animal Industry, while not absolutely conclusive, seem to indicate that it will be quite pos- sible to protect hogs by inoculation as soon the new method somewhat further perfected. Although no details of the composition of the vacetve have been published, it is understood that it is based as 1s upon the discovery that ammonia som- tions, even weak ones, are fatal to the cholera germ. With this finding as a basis, the vaccine is prepared by mixing specially prepared blood, drawn from in fected hogs, with an ammonia solution. The method of use of the resulting mix- ture is that of injection. Test animals treated h various strengths of the vaccine in varying doses, at intervals of a week between injections, have shown a most encouraging resisting power, though w

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POPULAR kept in pens in close contact with hogs in various stages of the practically fatal Another conclusion reached is gnats and flies do not spread the ise to nearly so great an extent as has een commonly supposed. sease. VEST-POCKET CASH REGISTER KEEPS PERSONAL ACCOUNTS personal-expense accounting system, hich keeps a written record of receipts, itlay, and balance of funds on hand, nd which is compact enough to be rried in a small pocket, is offered by n eastern novelty manufacturer. A iper tape, wound on rollers contained in he device, is ruled with lines which di- vide it into columns, showing date and nount of transaction, item for which money is paid out or received, and the maining cash balance. The rollers are turned by knurled thumb wheels, which project through the metal sides of the The Vest-Pocket Accounting System: A Statement ot Cash on Hand Is Shown in the Space to the Right levice. When a tape is used up it can ve quickly and easily replaced with a new one, ( 1 | COAL-MINE FATALITIES SHOW DECREASE DURING 1920 \Ithough coal production reached 585,- 000,000 tons for the first 11 months of 1920, as compared with 501,000,000 tons for 1919, fatal accidents in the industry fell from 2,146 for the earlier period to 1,983 for the later, a decrease of 163, or about 7.6 per cent. This, calculated on a basis of fatalities per quantity of production, works out to a life loss of 4.28 per million tons in 1919 and 3.39 for the same quantity in 1920. Though indicating an improve- ment in conditions, it would seem that these figures still show an unnecessary sacrifice of human life and place the miner’s calling in the classification of extra-hazardous occupations. MECHANICS 565 DANGER SIGNAL REFLECTS AUTO LIGHTS WITH A RED GLARE A novel railway danger signal, which, though lightless, has the warning effect A Novel Railway-Crossing Warning: At Night the Reflector Returns the Light from Auto Head- lamps in a Bright, Red Beam of a red light, has been erected at a dat gerous crossing in Indiana by the Hoosier Motor Club. The device, fastened to the upright bearing the worded warning sign, attracts attention in daylight on account of its oddity. At night, a red reflector, in the body of the contrivance, catches and returns the light from automobile headlamps in a broad, crimson ray which has an unmistakable meaning. TEN SIZES HANDLED BY ONE DOUBLE-ENDED WRENCH Double-ended wrenches are popular, es pecially among autoists, for their sturdy simplicity, as compared with the awk wardness of the ordinary monkey wrencl Even the latter's advantage of adjusta bility now has been conferred upon the former, for a two-ended wrench that handles 10 sizes of nuts has been placed on the market. One jaw at each end is slidably mounted, with a pin moving in a slot, and locks in place against a ratchet edge. The body, which is 7°4 in. long and $2 in. thick, has positions for the various from 14 to 7% in., sizes, marked upon it. Double-Ended Wrench Adjustable for Ten Sizes, be- tween ™% and % Inch, by Sliding the Jaws

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7 566 POPULAR RIGHTING A WRECKED ENGINE WITHOUT A CRANE Getting a locomotive back on the track after it has capsized, or gone over an em- bankment, as a rule offers no particular difficulties if wrecking cranes can be used. MECHANICS and the tackle set for righting the loco motive. Two long timbers were placed beside the engine, running its full length, and against the inside of the left-hand wheels, in such a position that, when the locomotive was righted, the right-hand wheels dropped over on the opposite sid of the timbers. These timbers ae were of such diameter that the driving axles rested on them, car rying all of the weight, while the wheels were held about 6 in. clear of the ground. The locomotive was then made fast to the timbers by means of wire ropes passed around both; a tackle from the donkey engine was attached, and the whole dragged up the bank, Timber Skids, Position A Discouraging iver Bank, after a 20-Foot Downhill Plunge, and No Wrecking Crane Available Problem: But when no such equipment is available, and the work must be done quickly, op- portunity is given for the display of much ingenuity. Recently, on a railroad running through the timber district the Pacific coast, the dirt of a fill became so softened by heavy rains that it slid out from under the track, causing a locomotive to fall to the river bed below, a distance of some 20 ft. It being impossible to procure the use of a wrecking crane at once, other means .of doing the work had to be de- vised. A powerful donkey engine, used for log- ging work, together with necessary wire rope and blocks, was brought to the job, ot The Fallen Locomotive Balanced Nicely on Huge Ready to be Hauled Back Uphill by the Donkey Engine That has Just Turned It Up- right from Its Recumbent The Locomotive on Its Side on the the timbers playing the part of sled runners or skids. Another set of wire ropes, operated by the donkey’s second drum, served as guy lines, keeping the locomotive from capsizing while making the trip. So accurately was the rig- ging set, that the engine was brought directly to the roadbed and exactly in line with the new track that was being laid around the washout. Then the engine was jacked up, the timbers pulled out, and the track laid under it. This being done, the jacks were lowered, and the engine was on the rails again. WIDE-RANGE SOCKET- WRENCH KIT SPEEDS AUTO REPAIRS Every automobile mechanic is keenly aware of the difficulty of performing high-speed repair work without socket wrenches. To fill a widespread demand for these tools, a manufacturer has recently placed on the market a most complete set of 24 interchangeable square and hexagon With 24 Interchangeable Sockets and 10 Extension Handles and Fittings, This Kit Forms 768 rench Combinations Distinct Socket-

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POPULAR sockets and an offset screwdriver, which, when used in connection with the 10 dif- ferent holders, extension handles, etc., furnished with the set, permit hundreds of distinct wrench combinations. The master holder of the outfit consists of a strong cylinder with the lower end ar- ranged at a slight angle to the main body. Inside is a shaft, fitted with a universal joint at the lower end and a cross handle at the upper. Every bolt and nut on a car, it is claimed, can be easily reached and turned with this outfit. ALARM-CLOCK ATTACHMENT OPERATES FURNACE DRAFTS A simple device which will open the draft door and also close the check draft of a heating furnace at a predetermined time, is so ar- ranged that it may be at- tached to any standard alarm clock, the reverse motion of the alarm key supplying the small amount of power needed to op- erate the con- trivance. The principal parts of the ap- paratus are a small drum with reduction gearing, and a trigger with its tripping mechanism. A light cable connects the chain of the draft door with the drum, while the check draft is operated by the trigger. When preparing the furnace for the night, the check draft is opened and the trigger set. The alarm is also wound and the clock set for any time desired. When the time arrives the trigger is tripped. This allows the check draft to, close. At the same time the drum winds up the cable, thus opening the draft door. MOTOR-DRIVEN SHEARS SAVE BARBERS’ TIME The time of the Saturday-night barber- shop wait will be reduced by about one-third when the electrically operated barbers’ shears come into general use. This tool, evolved by a resident of West Virginia, is made up of a somewhat com- plicated internal gearing, which causes the blades to open and shut, a flexible shaft, and a small electric motor. The hand grip of the shears proper is provided with the customary finger and thumb MECHANICS rey od i loops, which are stationary. It is claimed that the device saves two-thirds of the time usually required to trim hair, as the Above: Electrically Driven Barber Shears i Operation. Left The Outfit Is so Small and Light that It is Easily Packed in a Small Case blades work continuously and at very high speed, cutting very smoothly and evenly. ODD DOUBLE BRIDGE SPANS SUNKEN GARDEN Many residences in one western city are separated from the street by small, carefully tended sunken garden One of these is conspicuous for the odd double bridge that spans it. There are two levels; the upper takes one directly to the porch, the other, reached by a flight of descending steps, leads one to the path This Odd Two-Level Bridge Spans the Small Sunken Garden That Separzies House and Street on the garden bottom. built of wood, and is climbing vines. The structure is half hidden by

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568 POPULAR LIGHTING PLANT IN CABINET LOOKS LIKE PHONOGRAPH That even machinery may be made to harmonize with esthetic surroundings is Left: The Separate Cabinet That Contains the Storage Battery. Phonographlike Steel Cabinet for the Lighting Set, with Its Switch Drawer, in Which the Instruments are Mounted, at the Top MECHANICS demonstrated by a new form of home- lighting set, all of which is contained in an enameled-steel cabinet that resembles a modern phonograph. For the battery, another closed cabinet of equally pleasing finish provided. All the control mechanism of the generating set is carried in a drawer that slides in the upper face of the _ first-mentioned cabinet, with automatic contacts on its back, and the only parts that ap- is pear on the surface are the switch buttons and a battery-charging meter. Because of its appear- ance, the outfit is par- ticularly suitable for yachts, but will doubt- less prove equally pop- ular in country homes of the better class. Right: The ELEPHANT BUTTE DAM IN NEW HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT By building three new hydroelectric plants on the Rio Grande, one at the Elephant Butte dam, N. M., and the others at Tortugas and Canutillo, it is estimated that 33,000 hp. can be produced in electric energy for distribution through the neighboring region. The farmers propose to finance the undertaking for $4,000,000 and sell current at cost to the government, if it will build a canal to double the area of the irrigated district. The canal would be extended to El Paso, Tex., at the city’s expense. The project, it is calculated, would pay for itself in 10 years, and thereafter return about $500.- 000 a year. About $5,000,000 was spent in building Elephant Butte dam. PNEUMATIC SHIP-STEERING SYSTEM HAS ADVANTAGES Compressed air, already with a long list of mechanical successes to its credit, now has found a new field of usefulness in the steering of ships. The mechanism used, designed by two Oregon inventors, con- sists of a pair of horizontal cylinders with their pistons connected to the ends of a cross yoke on the rudder stock. In the wheelhouse is a simple hand lever on a pedestal, which is moved ee ee a VRS to right or left for steer- ra ee BW wicuanGa veut 4 - ing, actuating valves that et al a 5 li | xf nal admit air, at 130 to 175 WHEEL~ lb., to the front of one HOUSE ‘ } CONTROL, and the back of the other ' cylinder, opposite ends being connected to an exhaust pipe. In neutral aaeen . position, the air in the PRESSURE |y| EXHAUST cylinders acts as a cush- Diagrammatic View of the Pneumatic Ship-Steering Equipment: The Control Valve Connects Air and Exhaust Pipes to Opposite Cylinder Ends ion for the thrust of the rudder. An electrical indicator reports the rudder’s movement back to the navi- gator. The system is declared to work with rapidity and precision, and when tried on a heavy towboat with six rudders, it turned from hard aport to hard astar- board in nine seconds,

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HARVESTING HOPS MECHANICALLY By ARTHUR L. DAHL HE hop fields of the Pacific coast of the plant, while the leaves, twigs, and have been the Mecca to which thou- trash are deposited elsewhere. Very few sands of wandering laborers have jour- workers, however, are required to operate neyed each harvest season, for hops were it, and a 25-hp. electric motor will pro picked by hand and re- quired a large army of workers during the few weeks when the fields were ripe. The hop cones are small and soft when ripe, conical in shape, and grow on vines 15 to 18 ft. long, surrounded by many green leaves, and no device had been perfected to supplant hand labor until a large grower in- vented the first hop-pick- ing machine, of which a number have been in successful operation on the hop ranches in Cali- fornia, Oregon, and British Columbia for several years. Lately they have been so perfected that it is now possible to = pick by machinery the A Scene in a Pacific-Coast Hop Field during the Picking Season: Until entire output of the larg- Recently, All Picking was Done by Hand, the Work At- est ranches, and do the tracting Thousands of Migratory Workers work better, quicker, and more cheaply vide sufficient power to run the entire than by the old system of hand picking. machine. The latest machine is quite complicated, Hops to be picked by the machine are and performs a number of separate func- brought to the plant by wagons, and the tions designed to carry the hop vines vines unloaded, one at a time, and fas- through the machine, while the cones and _ tened at the receiving station to a revoly leaves are removed, separated, and cleaned, ing conveyor that carries them throug h so that the hops are conveyed to one part the picking machine until all the cones are iy aap ~_ ee jiu General View of a Typical Hop-Drying Plant, with Its Picking Building, Drying Kilns, Cooling Room, and Baling Department, Handling the Crop from Field to Market: In the Distance Are the Trellises of the Hop Fields vty

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en O40 POPULAR when the naked vine is auto- matically released. Two men work at the receiving platform, inserting the vines in the claspers attached to fast as they appear. By steady stream of vines goes through the machine at all times, and as one wagon is unloaded another drives up. The vine carried along by the con- veyor is pulled to the top of the ma- chine, where it passes Over a series of revolving drums, attached to which are a large number of V-shaped picking fingers of wire, placed close to- gether. These drums revolve in a direction opposite to that of the vine, and as the cones and leaves come in contact With the fingers, they are gently pulled off, singly or in clusters. The single cones drop down through the ma- chine and fall on moving belts running upward, which give a whirling motion to the cone, so that it rolls to the bottom, onto another moving belt, which carries the clean hops to the delivery chute. The leaves and twigs, being flat, are caught on the upward-moving belt and carried to the separator. The broken branches and clusters are carried by moving belts to a machine which breaks up the latter and detache d, the conveyor, as means a this ing, The Air Intake for the Drying Room: All the Air must Pass through the Heated Pipe Coils in Enter- the Process being Continued for Eight to Ten Hours for Each Charge of Hops MECHANICS separates the individual cones from the leaves and stems. The vine, in passing through the machine, makes a_ return journey through the picking drums, so that cones not coming in contact with the picking fingers above will be caught by those below, and by the time the vine passes the last pick- ing drum, it is bare of both hops and leaves, and is auto matically detached from the conveyor just before the vine graspers reappear at the receiving sta- tion for another load. The hops, uncleaned leaves, and twigs are then car- ried by moving belts to the top of the second part of the machine, which con- sists of a long cyl- inder, containing perforations of various sizes. This cylinder is inclined toward the rear and revolves slowly, so that the material deposited in it is tossed about and gradually works through the perforations. The perfora- tions in the first third of the cylinder are so small that only the cones and petals can go through, and the material falling on the moving belt under this part of the cylinder always consists of clean hops, ready for the drier, and the belt carries it to the delivery chute. The material fall- ing through the larger perforations, how- Ihe Trellis System Used for Growing Hops in the Fields of California: The Vines, Trained on These Structures, Grow 15 to 18 Feet Long, with Heavy Clusters of Leaves; and a Stout Support Is Necessary

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) oa oo ee ae * wie oe Ve 4 ad “f ra Ue y so a ~- The Ripe and Loaded Hop Vines are Carried to the Plant on Wagons, and Placed, One at a Time, Conveyor, Which Passes Them into the Picking Machine to be Stripped of Their Cones and Leaves The Huge Picking Machine in Action: Revolving Drums Overhead, with Wire Fingers, Strip the Vines an1 Pass the Leaves and Cones to a Separating Conveyor. The Cones Go to a Delivery Chute, and the Leaves ani Twigs are Carried Away by a Moving Belt behind the Bars Seen in the Lower Part of the Picture

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POPULAR ever, is made up of larger cones, leaves, and twigs, and separator belts are neces- sary to handle the different materials. These belts are inclined, and all move up- ward, so that the hop cones striking the belt are given a whirling motion and roll to the bottom onto the clean-hop belt, while the flatter leaves, and the stems, adhere to the belt and follow it to the waste pile. The cleaned hops from the machine are conveyed to a chute, fitted with doors at the bottom for the loading of sacks, and so fast does the machine work that a 95- Ib. sack is filled in less than a minute. A single-unit picking machine will turn out hops ready for the drier at the rate of about three tons every hour, and a ma- chine of this kind can be run by fewer than 20 workers, most of them women or children. Men are required to attach the vines, load the sacks, and look after the machinery, but women, or even children, are used in watching the conveyor belts, to prevent clogging, and to pick out any foreign matter that might pass through the screens. In an actual test made on a California hop ranch during the 1920 har- vest, one of the picking machines handled more hops in a day than 100 experienced hand pickers, and the latter were being paid from $5 to $6 per day. With the picking machine it is possible to work in two or three shifts, running constantly MECHANICS until the hops are all picked, while hand pickers, of course, can work only during daylight hours, Hops must be dried before they can be prepared for the market, and this drying is done in kilns, two stories or more in height. The hops are spread out on the drying floor to a depth of about 3 ft. The floor is made of metal or wooden slats, covered with burlap, through which hot air is circulated. The warm air is intro- duced from below, and, rising through the mass of hops, extracts the moisture and carries it off through the ventilators above. It takes from 8 to 10 hours to dry hops in a modern kiln, and just before the heat is turned on full blast, the green hops are exposed to sulphur fumes, which im prove their appearance and color, and destroy any microorganisms present. From the drying room the hops are taken to the cooling, or sweating, room, and here they are piled loosely on the floor and stirred frequently to allow the surplus heat to escape, and the remaining moisture in the hops to be equalized throughout the mass. After sweating, the hops are taken to the baling room, in huge movable bins, and dumped into a machine, where they are compressed into bales, which are wrapped in burlap and sewed. Hops intended for export are often made into cakes and fitted into tin- lined, air and water-tight wooden boxes. MACHINE PREPARES CANVAS FOR MAKING MAIL BAGS In the enormous activities of the Post Office Department, new mail bags are re- quired at the rate of several hundred thousand a year. To facilitate their manu- Machine for Cutting, Stenciling, Folding, and Stacking Canvas for Mail Bags: With Two Attendants, It Does the Work of Eight Men facture, now conducted by the govern- ment, an ingenious machine has been in- stalled in the equipment shops at Wash- ington. Canvas, in rolls of 600 to 1,500 ft., is fed in from a rack at the end, passing first under a huge printing cylinder that marks it with the proper insignia. It is then cut to length by an adjustable cam-op- erated knife blade, and the severed piece goes onto a conveyor table, where a rising arm folds it in the center and pro- jects it between two rol- lers. These place it on an inclined belt, which carries it to a stacking cradle, ready for finish- ing. The big machine is 20 ft. long, weighs 8,000 Ib., and does the work of eight men. COPYRIGHT, HARRIS & EWING

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SCULPTOR REVIVES ROMANTIC TYPES OF HUMANITY ‘= ' | | t ? | at } | — — Dwight Franklin, Noted Creator of Historical | Statuettes, Putting Fin- ishing Touches to a re . ; F : Group a ae = SSSSSS== = - 5 Scouts Spyin ut the | : eis ro erg | Lay of the nd Pre- . “2 » 2 / re ra . ae L paratory to a Raid 5 eae Rais a a> 0 ——————E a ane ; “ae & = Barbary Pirates Hur- AD nigh ’ cfs A Norse Ship and rying with a Heavy Tort Sy Pa: srs toro ie Crew of Fierce Vik- Treasure Chest, Pos- |} ~ ete eas A, / [eee || ing Adventurers upon sibly Filled with || ae gS 2 ‘ane an Expedition of Dis- Golden ‘‘Pieces of |} ee + hi] covery or Conquest Eight,”’ to Some Safe |} ’ 2 ) | It may Well Repre- Hiding Place. Brutal- ‘ fo “ay }sent Leif Ericson ity and Suspicion are ee 2 Mea || Sighting the Shores of Expressed in Every || ae America in the Detail of the Figures a Eleventh Century ‘. EE ee The Famous Sculptor Makes a Specialty of Clay Statuettes Illustrative of Human Types throughout the World’s History. Most of His Work is to be Seen Only in the Large City Museums. The Figures are Characterized by an Extreme Correctness of Detail and Action, And Seem Really to be Charged with the Tremendous Vitality of the Types

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POPULAR

MECHANICS

~t AIR-VENT CHECK VALVE ce NE te | ff )~ SPRAY ui 4 LOW -TEMPERATURE RELAY 1 3 Kt rw §*% \AMPERE METER 1} | t4 a) MAIN SWITCH fav bt g S| Mitac —— a yy i | Daten 4 valve opens the “t6-in. pipe line leading to a

An Electrically Operated Marine Fire Extinguisher In- stalled on Shipboard: The Tetrachloride Tank Is on the Wheelhouse Ceiling, with the Switchboard Below, and the Electric Vaporizers are Discharging Gas upon the Flames in the Hold. Right, Above: Piping and Wiring Diagram of the System, Showing the Goueten of the Electric Valve and Vaporizing Sprays, Actuated by the Contact-Making Thermostats

number of electric float- type vaporizers, located at the points of possible fire danger, and _ con- nected in parallel to the relay contacts. The coils of the relay are wired to a current source through a parallel series of elec- tric thermostats, also lo- cated at the danger points. When the heated

PRECIOUS STONES FORM SPOTS OF LUXURIOUS DICE Dice, the little gaming implements whose origin is lost in the unrecorded an- tiquities of the Orient, are to be had now in forms that surpass in luxurythe ,erystal and goldcubes

used by the titled game sters of an- ; cient Rome. Modern jewelers are finding, and meeting, a demand tor specially constructed dice whose spots consist of inset diamonds and other precious stones. MARINE FIRE EXTINGUISHER ELECTRICALLY OPERATED Electrical operation through thermo- static controls the feature of a new fire-extinguishing system intended espe- cially for shipboard use, which has suc- cessfully met recent tests. Vaporized car- bon tetrachloride is the extinguishing medium, stored in tanks of 10 to 50-gal. capacity with suitable empty-alarm con- nections. An electromagnetic relay and is thermostats close the circuit, the vaporizers immediately throw oft gases that, in the tests, extinguished a large fire in less than 30 minutes. Back contacts on the thermostats indicate when the fire is out, and a switchboard equipped with instruments and indicators accurately reports the location of an incipient fire, and the current consumed in extinguish ing it. GRAPHITE BEDS OF GREENLAND TO BE MINED COMMERCIALLY Though it has long been known that graphite exists in abundance in Green land, particularly near Upernivik on the Baffin Bay coast, little attempt at its commercial recovery has been made. A Danish explorer, recently returned from the southern part of the icebound island, reports the presence of some 3,000 ship loads of graphite available and ready for working. A centrifugal method of clean ing the mineral gives promising results, and the systematic operation of the mines is soon to be undertaken. @ Residents of Beaver Falls, Pa., are en- abled, by a curious local custom, to set their household clocks by the factory whistles, which blow three times at six o'clock, twice at 6:30, and once at seven every morning.

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POPULAR MECHANICS PLANS TO SHOOT OIL SHELLS TO CALM ANGRY WATERS Recent successful experiments with the use of relatively small quantities of oil for quieting stormy seas have inspired a proposal that oil shells be designed to fit the life-line guns em- ployed in the coast-guard service. A head made to explode on contact with the water would be fitted to each shell, its ignition firing a light charge of powder that would scat- ter about a gallon of oil abroad. A barrage ofsuch shells laid down well to windward of a ship in distress would, it is cal- culated, smooth out the breakers enough to af- ford a reasonably safe passage to a life- boat, even in the most severe storms. OIL-SOAKED PACKING BOXES BURNED AT WATER'S EDGE Hundreds of thousands of cases in which oil has been shipped from the Orient are systematically burned at the San Francisco docks. The cases are car- ried to the top of a chute by a conveyor. They burn during the downward slide, the harmless ashes falling into the bay. As the cases are oil-soaked, they consti- tute a constant fire hazard, and it is deemed better to destroy them promptly — Oil-Soaked Packing Cases being Hauled to the Top of the Disposal Chute They Burn during Their Downward Travel Where They are Fired: than to attempt to store them for future use, since it is cheaper to buy new cases (han to pay excessive insurance rates. HOLLY-DECKED MAIL TRUCKS HOLIDAY SUBSTATIONS Owing to the increase in the number of packages mailed during the last holiday -— : WASHINCTON 0 Seer tie ‘US Posi. cere One of the Festively Decorated United States Mail Trucks Which Served as mergency Postal Substations, in Washington, during the Last Christmas Rush rush, the Washington, D. C., post office became so badly congested that it was necessary to provide emergency stations. These were regular mail trucks converted into fully equipped substations. Several of these were posted throughout the city and did much to speed up the service. Decorations of holly and _ evergreen, draped over the machines, preserved the holiday atmosphere. RADIO INTERCONNECTS ALL CHICAGO HIGH SCHOOLS Intercommunication between all of the 22 high schools in Chicago, for business _. or other purposes, will soon be accomplished al most entirely by wireless telephone or telegraph. Stations at five of the schools already are equipped, and the remain- ing 17 installations are in preparation. The com- plete system, declared the first of its kind, will cost approximately $50,000, all the apparatus being of the most modern type. The telephone transmitting instruments used have a clear range of about 100 miles in daytime, and the telegraph senders work with a day radius of some 200 miles, mak ing possible communication with stations in other cities. Working at night, a still greater range may be obtained.

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576 POPULAR FAMILIAR POSTERS VITALIZED IN ADVERTISERS’ PARADE given substance and motion in a big “liv- {- COPYRIGHT, TIMES PHOTOS The Giant ‘‘Pocket’’ Camera and Its Girl Passenger, in a Recent Advertisers’ Parade in London ing-poster pageant” held during the re- cent International Advertising Exhibition in London. One of the most striking of many ingeniously vitalized trade-marks in Billboard figures known around the world in their two-dimensional form were MECHANICS BIG SWEDISH PASSENGER SHIP TO HAVE DIESEL ENGINES Four six-cylinder Diesel engines of 4,000 hp. each are-to supply the motive power for a Swedish passenger liner, 590 ft. long and 72 ft. wide, recently designed for the North American trade. The huge engines, running at 90 to 100 r.p.m., are expected to develop a speed of more than 20 miles an hour, with four screws mounted in tandem sets on two shafts. Oil for each round trip will be loaded in New York, the consumption being estimated at 50 tons a day, as against 120, or more a day for an oil-burning vessel of simila: size. SPORT-TYPE BREECHES BUOY GIVES FUN IN WATER Floating around in the water, with one’s head and shoulders projecting from the bell of a flower-shaped buoy like a statu of Buddha in a lotus blossom, is a new aquatic sport made possible by an in genious invention. The novel float, de- signed for use at bathing beaches, has an upper part of ornamentally shaped metal, with an annular air chamber at its bulg ing water line. From this superstructure hangs a pair of trousers made of water- proof fabric, on the outside of which are series of vanes that act as paddles when the occupant propels himself along by a walking motion. As the interior remains dry and cool, the beach enthusiast is en- abled to en joy the surf Left: The Flower-Shaped Buoy Supports a Veritabie Crowd. Right: The Body in Ac- tion, Indicating the Use of the Vanes on ’ the Trouser Legs to Assist Propulsion the mile-long parade was a gigantic fold- ing “pocket” camera, which rode its motor-truck mounting with a girl pas- senger perched upon its high, extended top. even in his street clothing if he wishes, and may roam about the watery surface at will. The buoyancy of the air chamber is great enough to sup- port a number of swimmers,

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POPULAR MECHANICS Airplane Making a Landing on the New Patented Net, Spread Out to Cover a Rough Sand Beach: The Net, Closely Woven of Fabric or Wire, is Declared to Make an Effective Artificial Field ARTIFICIAL AIRPLANE FIELD MADE WITH WOVEN NET Mastery of the air is practically com- plete, but landing and taking off remain as weak factors in the use of airplanes, de- manding fields of prepared smoothness. To remove this restriction, and make it possible for a plane to land or take off on sand, bog, or rough country, is the pur- pose of a new and very simple invention. It consists merely of a long net of close mesh, woven of fabric or wire, which is drawn taut over the unimproved field, and staked down at ends and sides. This is declared to make a highly efficient arti- ficial field, which may be quickly laid out at a signal from the incoming flier, if not already in place. AUTO-TIRE SPREADER AIDS IN MAKING REPAIRS A time and labor-saving article of equip- ment for the automobile-service shop is a tire spreader which grips each bead in five equally spaced places and opens the casing to its limit for its full diameter. Radially movable arms, which carry the bead hooks, make the apparatus instantly adjustable to casings of all diameters. Spreading is done by turning a handwheel attached to a threaded shaft, which acts upon the radial arms and causes them to move away from the operator, carrying one set of hooks with them. As the other five hooks are stationary, the extent to which the casing is spread depends upon An Auto-Tire Spreader: The Large Handwheel Moves the Arms Radially; the Smaller One Ac- tuates the Movable Bead Hooks the distance by which the two sets of hooks are separated. @ Hog Island, the world’s greatest ship- yard, is out of business. Its last ship, the 13,400-ton army transport “Aisne,” was delivered to the Emergency Fleet Corpo- ration January 27, and early in February the yard itself was turned over to the U.S. Shipping Board for disposal.

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en vid HOMEY COTTAGE IS BUILT IN CITY’S BUSINESS SECTION The building of a $6,000 cottage on a $106,000 business corner in the heart of This House, a Real-Estate Office, Occupies a Business Site Worth $106,000, in the Heart of a City’s Mercantile Section the busiest section of his city, in the rec ord-breaking time of nine was a Des Moines, Ia., real-estate dealer’s meth- od of arousing in people the desire to own homes. The house is ideally complete in all particulars and appointments, a local department store having furnished it throughout as an advertisement. Although occupying one of the busiest corners and surrounded by large retail stores, the builder was not quite satisfied with the unusual effect but heightened it by plac- ing the house at an angle with the street with the front door facing the corner. day D» NEW BRITISH SILVER COINS WORTH LESS THAN OLD The advance in the price of silver in- creased the actual worth of British coins to a value higher than that shown by their face, until $1.81 worth of the metal was required to produce $1.34 worth of currency. To remedy this condition a new coinage has been issued in which the silver content is reduced to 500 parts from the 925 parts formerly required. The new coins weigh about as much as the old, the difference being made up by a higher percentage of nickel. As rapidly as the older coins are deposited in the banks, they are turned over to the government. POPULAR MECHANICS RECEIVE WIRELESS MESSAGES BY SENSE OF TASTE Reception of wireless messages by means of the sense of taste, rather than that of hearing, was the subject of a recent series of interesting experi- ments. Two forms of re- ceiving instruments were used. One was a pair of No. 16 gauge silver wires, about 1% in. long, held in a small lump of imsulat- ing material, with their exposed ends ¥ in. apart. This was placed on the tongue. The other form slipped over the teeth, making contact with the inside of the upper lip and the end of the tongue. Used with a vacuum-tube receiver and a= singk wire antenna, 180 ft. long and 150 ft. high, it found possible to “read about five words a min ute, 10 being regarded as the possible maximum be cause of a certain inertia of the taste sense. The minimum “tast able” electromotive force was discovered to be about two volts. Was SIMPLE DEVICE PUTS PASTE ON MAGAZINE WRAPPERS The dexterity with which mailing-room workers paste magazine wrappers is ham- pered only by the difficulty of keeping the paste moist and evenly spread, and now that trouble is overcome by a simple mechanism, recently invented. The paste is carried in a hopper which slides on two vertical rods. It is placed across one Paste Applier for Magazine Wrappers: Each Wrapper in the Stack beneath the Hopper Has a Film of Paste across One End When Drawn Out

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POPULAR end of a stack of wrappers, and the valve- like bottom opened. Each wrapper, when drawn out, then has a thin film of fresh paste spread smoothly across the end, and is ready for flat or round wrapping. It is said to save both time and paste. BIG OIL-TANK VESSEL MADE OF CORRUGATED PLATES Using ships’ bulkheads to build an en- tire vessel seems an extraordinary pro- ceeding, yet it has just been successfully accomplished in England, where a 6,000- ton tanker was so constructed with nearly 400 tons less material than would ordinarily be used. The secret lies in the curious form of the newly invented bulk- head plates, which are made with vertical corrugations, so strengthening them that the usual horizontal and vertical stiffening brackets are dispensed with. The oil ship built in this manner, with its straight lines and corrugated sides, naturally offers a most peculiar appearance, and its launch- ing also was unusual, as it was built in a drydock in the River Tyne, and simply floated out. It is to be used as a floating reservoir at Las Palmas, Canary Islands, for supplying oil-burning ships with fuel, and is equipped with pumps that have a capacity of 200 tons an hour. } ; Sn Bene ii A ve wy. ‘ A ‘ ty MECHANICS \ | \ | Loading Pumps , 579 NEW AUTO-ENGINE MANIFOLD GIVES HOT-SPOT EFFECTS \ combination intake and exhaust mani- fold, especially designed for application on a popular make of light automobile, is constructed with the ex- haust portion surrounding the ascending intake pipe for a short part of its length. Thus the red- hot exhaust gases very quickly heat that small area, and the inrushing mixture is preheated and more com- pletely gasi- fied. The de- vice is also fitted with a butterfly valve, by which hot or cold air can be admitted to the carburetor inlet, and a priming valve, which permits raw gasoline to be drawn directly into the junction of the inlet-manifold branches. — — The Straight Lines and Corrugated Sides of the New Oil-Tank Vessel Give It a Most Unusual Appearance. The System Employed in Making a New Form of Corrugated Bulkhead was Used in Build+ ing the Whole Ship, Which Holds 6,000 | Tons of Fuel Oil, and is Equipped with \

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POPULAR MECHANICS

Three Stages in the. Upending of a Soft, Unfired Tile. Richt M.3

Left: Tile in Place in the Frame. Center: Frame with yvement Completed. The Tile is Reversed down, the elevator, carrying another tile, is raised to the level of the table top. Formerly several men were required for this task, while one man can do it alone with the aid of the machine. AERIAL PHOTOS OF SHIPYARD TAKEN FROM CRANE HOIST Aerial photographs of ship’s decks, and bird’s-eye views of the whole eonstruction plant, are being taken at a western ship- yard without the aid of either airplanes or balloons. A board seat slung from the hook of a big crane constitutes the photographer's base of operations, and in this meager cockpit, armed with a good hand camera, he is swung aloft to any altitudinous viewpoint he may select. In further resemblance to a flier, he is fas- tened in, the function of the stout rope around his body being not so much to — increase his security as to afford him full and free use of his hands in making the exposure. Because the location may be studied, or changed on signal to the engineer, views are { obtained this way that could not be s taken even from a plane.

Left: The Big Crane Swings the Photographer to His Selected Viewpoint in the Air. Center Insert: The Photographer is Roped into His Seat. Right: Deck View of a Ship under Construction, Taken from the Crane Hook

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POPULAR MECHANICS 581 ANCIENT CALIFORNIA MISSION tiles of the roof were lifted from the tim- GETS NEW CONCRETE FRONT bers on which they have rested for a century and a half, to be relaid later on A picturesque mingling of the old and new sheeting, but without changing the the new is now to be seen in the mission outward appearance. district of San Francisco as a result of the. recent rehabilitation of the Mis- sion Dolores. Built a few years after the establish- ment of the local church, in 1776, the ancient structure has, in general, resisted decay surprising- ly well. Lately, however, the adobe brick of the front wall has crumbled badly, making extensive repair necessary. In con- sequence, the entire front — arches, columns, and all—have been done over in concrete. While ne : — mo " he Crumbling Adobe Front of This Ancient California Mission was Rein- this work _w as in prog forced, Recently, with Concrete. This Is Doubtless the Most Extensive ress, incidentally, the Repair Made in the Church’s Century and a Half of Existence MILITARY TANKS USED FOR LOGGING IN FRANCE One type of mili- ™ Ss ti cos 2 gs eee tary machinery that is proving a distinct asset to post-war performance is the small tanklike trac- tor of endless-tread form. In France, these sturdy little hauling machines, with their ability to traverse rough ground and do the work of many acne aEYSTORE ViEwW 2. horses, have been found particularly useful in logging, and are being em ployed for that pur- pose at Velizy, near the Villacoublay airdrome. With the usual form of log wagon, the heaviest “sticks” are easily ; : hauled by one ma Loti Rona “am chine, while two of Convaicnr, MW. Rot them, hitched = in Top: Two Tractors Hitched in Tandem for Hauling Big Logs Out of the Rough tandem. make light Timber Lands. Bottom: Military Type of Tractor being Used to Haul a Heavy : .. - 5 Stick of Timber on a Road at Velizy, France, near the Villacoublay Airdrome work of the job.

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POPULAR MILLING ATTACHMENT MAKES SHAPER DO TWO JOBS A milling attachment that is now com- ing into use and which can be placed on the ram way of a shaper, makes possible The Milling Attachment Fits in the Track of the Slid- ing Head of the Shaper two different operations with the one ma- chine. It has been found that with this device on the shaper, even a helper is able to handle such work as cutting of spur gears and keyseating. The attachment is not connected up in any way to the operating mechanism of the shaper, and so it is only a matter of a few moments before the milling machine is again a shaper, for with its individual drive, it is easily loosened and removed. The rod carrying the cutting tool drives by a worm-and-wheel arrangement, which runs in oil. To insure rigidity, the cutting bar is supported by a heavy overarm. It is of solid construction and simple design, and tends toward unification of mechanical operations. MAGAZINE ADVERTISING PAGES AS STORE-WINDOW DISPLAY By arranging advertising pages clipped from current magazines as an attractive window display, the proprietor of an In- diana drug store not only has increased his sales to a marked degree, but has con- tributed a valuable idea to the whole operation of publicity. Advertisements used, of course, are those of goods carried MECHANICS in stock, and those smaller than page-size are mounted on cards of easel form. In some cases samples are displayed with the printed matter. The originator of the novel plan estimates that attention to his windows has doubled since its adoption, and it is evident that the advertisers and the publications themselves are benefited is well as the local trade. TYPEWRITER SETS FULL LINE OF TYPE BEFORE PRINTING An entirely new idea in typewriter con struction is embodied in the invention of an attorney who was formerly a court re porter. Like a linotype machine, the new i instrument line of sets up a whole type before printing. The impression is made directly from the inked type, without a ribbon, and the operation is silent. For a 55-letter line, there are 55 perpendicular rows of keys, each contain ing 40 characters, making by 10 in. The operator works from left to right, depressing one key in each col umn about 1% in., and sometimes setting whole words with one motion. The line finished, a lever is pulled, which inks the type and platen and paper against it, the lever’s return restoring all parts to neutral. Sliding bars, brought forward by the lever and stopped in the correct position by the depressed keys, carry the printing type. Despite the large number of keys, the mechanical assembly is simple, and the operation rapid. practically a key board 28 presses the Plan View of the New Typewriter: The Operator Sets Up a Line by Pressing a Key in Each of the Perpendic- ular Columns and Prints It by Pulling the Back Lever

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“= --* -. we Sheu” | | Feute Followed by the Seaplane Fleet on Its 3,200-Mile Panama Dash: La Union is Located on Fonseca Bay, Where the NC-Planes Fell behind Their Fellows. Above: A Plane Sail- ing into One of the Harbors on the Surface; a Dangerous Procedure Necessitated by the Narrowness of Many of Them SEAPLANES MAKE 3,200-MILE FLIGHT TO PANAMA By WM. H. HUNT 66? I ‘HE greatest flight ever attempted by seaplanes—far more dangerous, much more difficult, and vastly more important than the flight across the Atlantic.” It is in these words that one of the world’s leading authorities on naval aviation, a member of the crew that made the famous transatlantic flight, pays high tribute to the stamina of the craft and the courage of the personnel of the seaplane fleet which, on Jan- uary 15, roared triumphantly into Balboa, C. Z., harbor, on time as per pre- arranged sched- ule, after 17 days ofthe most. terrific battering sea- planes were CvVve2e vt called upon to en- dure; thus bringing to a successful ter- mination the greatest aerial adventure ever embarked upon. This statement One of the Machines of the Seaplane Squadron That Made the Record-Breaking Panama Cruise, in the Remarkable Time of 19 Days Following the Receipt of the Sailing Order must not be construed as in any manner detracting from the glory earned by those recklessly courageous airmen who, alon and unattended, braved the terrors cf the treacherous Atlantic in the first nonstoj flight attempts. The Panama flight 1 remarkable from the standpoint of an extensive fleet maneuver, individual e) ploits not entering into the’ consideration. The t] 3 t f the 3,200-mile obiect Oo! cruise m San Di Calit., expel mental, the Navy Depart ment desiring to learn just vhat results might be ex- p* cted from a sudden sea plane-fleet movement in war time. For this reason the time allowance for prepara tion, instead of being weeks or months, as had

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POPULAR been the case in other aviation undertakings, was disconcertingly short. The order to Capt. Henry C. Mustin, com- manding him to fleet of 12 }’-5-L four-engine machines and two NC type three-engine planes, and make the start December 30, was received only two days in advance. That it was possible to comply with the order at all, speaks vol- 1mes for the state of efficiency in which the craft are constantly maintained. The route lay along the western coast of Mexico and Central America, where most of the har- bors are narrow and rock-bound. Con- flicting ocean currents, driving into these narrow inlets with the momentum gath- ered during thousands of miles of move- ment across the broad Pacific, keep the waters in a constant turmoil and break them into thundering surfs, in which, it was predicted, no seaplane could live. Add to this the fact that no aerial survey of the route has ever been made, and that, therefore, the region is uncharted so far as air lanes are concerned, and also that, aside from two tenders and supply boats and a few minor craft, which would have been useless in the event of a serious ac- cident, there was no help to be had—and a hazy idea of the nearly insurmountable obstacles may be Of these hazards the airmen only knew that they existed. How best to minimize them was absolutely unknown, but be ing, as ever, “ready for a fight or a frolic,” the selected crews rushed the final prep- arations and on the 30 the majestic fleet skimmed the waters of San Diego Harbor and, quickly climb- ing above the fog banks into the brilliant sunshine, assumed a perfect formation and headed southward. It was during what was expected to be a perfect start that the first mishap oc- curred. This was to the “NC-5,” and seemed to be a harbinger of the further ill luck which dogged the unfortunate craft. When about to take off, an ex- ceptionally boisterous wave crumpled the hull, which necessitated putting back for repairs. Nothing daunted, the plucky crew performed a miracle in straightening the tangle and, in a few hours, thundered forth on what was to be another record- breaking achievement —a_ straightaway, nonstop flight of 702 miles to Magdalena Bay. The distance was covered in 9 hr. 15 min., or at the rate of 72 miles per hour, thus establishing a new international rec- ord for a seaplane carrying six persons. I'rom Magdalena Bay the route followed by the fleet was Banderas Bay, Acapulco, Salina Cruz, La Union, Nicoya, Bahia great assemble a overcome formed. morning of December MECHANICS Hlonda, and Balboa. The entire fleet kept together as far as La Union, on the Gulf of Fonseca. Here the more power- ful F-5-L machines began to distance the NC’s, their additional engines giving them the advantage in speed. It was south of this point that the “NC-5”" again came to grief. During a terrific tropical storm off the Gulf of Nicoya the game but under powered craft was driven down and wrecked in the mountainous seas. For tunately the U.S.S.“Mumford” was close by, and rescued the crew. After an un successful attempt to save the plane, it was sunk by gun fire. Thus ended an un lucky but splendid career. Later the “N¢ 6” was reported missing and, after a pro- longed search, was found to have been driven ashore in a tiny cove. So inacces sible was its position that attempting to launch it was considered useless. Accord ingly, after having been stripped of its engines, propellers, and other valuable parts, it was burned. Accidents were expected and that there were so few is one of the wonders of the cruise. The only fatality marring the great achievement was the death of Chief Radio Electrician Cain, who was by a propeller while at Fonseca Bay. Off setting this was the saving of the life of Commander J. H. Towers, who, while aboard a supply ship, which did not carry a surgeon, was stricken with a severe at- tack of appendicitis. A radio command to one of the planes sent it scurrying away to another vessel, whence a surgeon was quickly carried to the suffering officer. At last reports he was making a* satisfactory recovery. An amusing incident, serving to convey an idea of the severity of the storms en- countered, was the seasickness of Captain Mustin, and several others of the seasoned fliers, who, it would appear, should have been so accustomed to upside-down and other abnormal positions as to be immune. The officer states that it was a novel, though unpleasant, experience in his nine years of flying. Much valuable knowledge was acquired during the long cruise. For one thing ‘tt demonstrated that machines of the F-5-L class can ke trusted to hold their own under the most adverse conditions and when far removed from their bases. On the other hand, the fallacy of expecting grueling long-distance performance from the NC-type was shown. These findings vindicated the judgment of the naval au thorities who were in doubt of the ability of the NC-craft to keep pace with the superpowered F-5-L ships. Sti uck

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POPULAR PENAL EXPERIMENT RESULTS IN SPLENDID MECHANICS 585 ROADS A perambulat- ing prison camp as instituted y the Salem County,New]er- CV, authorities few years ago as an experi- ment and has shown such ex- cellent results that it has been retained. It is a veritable jail on wheels as the cookhouse, cell house, in this case a bunk house, administrative offices, and supply department are mounted on wagons and are hauled by horses or tractor to any point in the county where t! may need attention. As the At the Top: e roads The Movable Prison Camp Temporarily Established at the Roadside While Its Inmates Work on the Road. Two Units of the Wheeled Camp, the Cell Bunk House at the Left, and the Cookhouse at the Right highways of this section of the State are sur- faced with gravel, camp is usually made closely adjacent to a gravel pit. Culprits sen- tenced for from ten days to one year serve the time in the camp. Although not closely guarded, very few have at- tempted escape. However, one sentence is usually enough, and few offenders re- turn, showing that the outdoor life and exercise have a more beneficial effect than confinement and idleness. Bottom: AUTOMATIC CARBURIZING-COMPOUND MIXER Used carburizing compound is auto- matically mixed with a new supply, in the right proportion for steelmill use, by a machine recently developed in Ohio. A long closed mixing trough with revolving mixing paddles is surmounted by a large hopper for the used compound, and a smaller one for the new, an adjustable gate at the mouth of the latter, provided with an in- dicating pointer, determining the proportion. A _ feed plate, re- ciprocating under the hoppers, drops the compound into the trough, and the supply is readily arranged to provide just enough mixture for one heat. The mixer may be driven by belt or direct- connected motor, and the action of the paddles in the trough intimate and uniform mixture. assures an Used Carburizing Compound in the Large Hopper, and New in the Small One, are Automatically Mixed in the Right Proportion

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CIVIC FEATURES THAT PROMOTE THE COMFORT

Pork Went Up to 7,500 Feet When the Police Depart- ment of Asheville, North Carolina, Recently Delivered a 50-Pound Duroc Pig to Waynesville, 30 Miles Away, by Airplane, the Trip being Made in 16 Minutes. The Occasion Was a Distribution of Food to the Poor, an Annual Event UN a a ; aa aon <3 120 cae, POLICE MOTOR & INSPEGTION = CERTIFICATE Nev. 15 to Dec. 6, 1920 RICHARD & PNRICHT

aevenpyeene samen 1 COPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOD New York City’s New Automobile Label, Required This Year on Every Car in the City: It Signifies That the Mechanical Parts of the Vehicle have been Examined by the Police Inspector, and Found in Safe Condition

Tena FEET without ~ “ See Ore TOOMNG mad soe FARE | woman COMBUSTOR conccimc BOTHNAYS OF STREETS READY

The Grounds of the De- partment of Agriculture in Washington, District of Co- lumbia, are Now Graced by the Upstanding Section of a Giant Redwood Tree from California, Whose 30-Foot Diameter Gives Visitors an Idea of the Girth, If Not the Height, of the Origi- nal, A Pagoda Roof Orna- ments the Top

A Traveling Billboard, Made by Placarding the Sides of a Street Car, Is a Feature of Portland, Oregon. through Whose Streets It Moves on a Regular Schedule. The Signs are Largely Devoted to Promoting Safety, and Other Worthy Causes

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ENJOYMENT OF VISITORS AND RESIDENTS | Denver's New Dog-Catcher’s Auto, besides the Usual Cage, Has a Compartmented Box at the Side, in Which Dogs of Vicious Disposition, or under Suspicion ot Rabies, may be Isolated While on the Way to the Pound. A Pulley and Hoist for Handling Intractable Ani- mals Is Another Feature

The Great Bass Drum of the Los Angeles Lodge ——s of Elks Rides the Parades in Its Own Rubber- Tired Cart, Saving the Drummer’s Energy for Pounding. The Cart Resembles a Wheelbarrow, Except That It is Pulled, Instead of Pushed, by a Colored Gentleman, the Drummer Walking behind It

The Mayor of Portland, Oregon, Planting the First of 40,000 Rose Slips for “the Roseway,” a Three- Mile Stretch of Profuse Floral Beauty, from the City to Rose City Park, the Gateway to the Colum- bia Highway. Residents are Helping in the Undertaking _ eet nel ae a << e 2 aa

Suburban Electric-Railway Stations in Southern California have been Provided with Interesting and Picturesque Thatch-Roofed Stations. A Framework, a Floor. and a Lattice Compose the Building, and the Palm-Leaf Thatch is Nailed to the Frame by the Stem

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ngs POPULAR FOLDING CONTAINER PREVENTS RATTLING OF AUTO TOOLS Most motorists are more or less annoyed by the rat- tling of loose tools in the tool box, or under the seats. So The Antirattling Tool Rack: When Folded the Device Fits Snugly into the Running-Board Tool Box common is this, that it is the practice to wrap little-used tools in cloths or to pack the boxes tightly with rags or waste. Both these expedients are rendered unnecessary MECHANICS by a new collapsible tool container, made on the lazy-tong principle. The pleated side of the device is made with strong cai vas which forms nine troughs in which the tools are packed. When the container i folded into a steel box, 12 by 10% by 7 in the tools are so tightly wedged together that movement is impossible. As the un folding of the container exposes every tool to view, the one required may be instantly selected. The device may be removed fron the box and carried to the work in hand @A_ 1,686-mile transcontinental airplane trip of Australia, from Melbourne to Perth, was recently made by a privately owned machine. Despite head winds dur ing the last stages of the journey, an aver age speed of 120 miles an hour was main tained for the 13 hours 47 minutes of actual flying time. EFFICIENCY IN COALING OF RAILWAY LOCOMOTIVES The management of the Boston and Albany railroad company has installed an improved method of filling the coal bunk- ers from which the coal is supplied to the locomotive tenders, The familiar elevated bunker house is retained, the improvement being in the method of hauling the gon- dola cars up the steep incline. Between the rails of the track running up the in- Electrically Driven Winch Used to Pull the “Billy Goat”’ Car up the Bunker-House Incline cline is another track, of narrow gauge, upon which runs a peculiarly constructed car to which the name “billy goat” has been given, cars and literally “butts” them up the slope. The little car is pulled by a 1)2-1n. steel cable wound upon the drum of a powerful hoisting winch. In lowering an empty car the “billy goat” restrains the speed until the bottom of the incline is nearly reached. Then it suddenly speeds up and, running away from the gondola, retires into a deep, concrete trench placed between the rails of the main track. The gon dola, acquiring momen tum over the short re maining part of the slope, makes a “flying switch” to a track re served for empties. for the reason that it gets behind the loaded The Narrow-Gauge cline: It is Also Used to Let the Empty Cars Down Slowly ‘Billy Goat’? Car Pushing a Loaded Gondola up the In-

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POPULAR MECHANICS The Unsightly and Array of Ventilating Confronted the Who One of the Pipes Con- verted into a Support for | a Garden Sunshade, with | a Circular Bench under It had Decided to Discouraging Pipes That Manager Make a Hotel Roof Garden Eerivigus An Ornamental Pergola and Bench That Not Only Conceals the Pipes, but Uses Them in Its Structure. Right: One of the Offending Pipes That Now Leads Upward through a Box of Growing Flowers, Concealing Its Point of Contact with the Roof UNSIGHTLY PIPES SUPPORT ROOF-GARDEN FURNISHINGS On deciding to add a roof garden to the attractions of his establishment, a western hotel manager was nonplused, at first, by*the presence of many ventila- tion pipes, whose unsightliness threatened to make the roof anything but a garden spot. The problem finally was solved, however, not by simply cloaking their ugliness, but by putting them to a very real decorative use. Some now support sunshades and pergolas; others rise from tubs of earth where grow climbing plants of heavy foliage. The pipes that remain unadorned are so few that they fail to offend the eye, and the finished garden is remarkably attractive for so unpromising a beginning. AUTO COWL-BOARD FITTING SERVES THREE PURPOSES A neat nickelplated fitment, designed to be installed on the motor-car serves as a primer, auxiliary air inlet. device contains a three-division pis- ton by means of which additional air, in graduated quantities, may be admitted to the intake manifold through a connecting tubing. Pulling the piston to its full-out position offers a_ clear passage to the manifold for priming. To use it as a decarbonizer, kerosene, water, or any of the decarbonizing solutions is injected. cowl board, and of the decarbor izer, The barrel bod

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590 PNEUMATIC WRENCH DRIVES BOLTS, NUTS, AND SCREWS A compressed-air machine of somewhat complicated construction, which will pick up a nut and screw it onto a bolt, and —_ Compressed-Air Nut, Bolt, and Screwdriving Machine, Applying Crankshaft-Bearing Nuts at a Rate of 60 per Minute unscrew various sorts of bolts and screws, is in use in one of the leading automobile factories in the East. It is said that the apparatus will pick up, apply, and drive home a 45-in. nut in one second, or, if the nut is already in place, will screw it down in one-twentieth sec- ond. Although of great power and oper- ating at a speed of 1,250 r.p.m., the ma- chine may be so delicately adjusted that nuts can be applied to any tension desired. This feature is particularly valuable in auto-engine assembly, in applying the crankshaft bearing-cap nuts, as_ these should be set at exactly the same tension on each bearing. Another claim is that the sockets fit the nuts and the bolt heads so accurately that they are not marred. also screw or NEW ESTIMATES FOR LOSSES OF GERMANS AT JUTLAND From a careful study of both German and British reports of the naval battle of Jutland, an English observer reaches the conclusion that the German were considerably higher than announced. The facts that fragments of 15-in. shells were found, though none of the listed ships carried such armament, and that separate obsetvers noted the appearance of ship types not accounted for, are bases for the argument that the Germans lost 122.- 000 tons of fighting ships, comprising two battleships, one battle cruiser, one pre- dreadnaught, six light cruisers, ten de- losses POPULAR MECHANICS stroyers, and two submarines. This figure compares with an admitted German loss of 61,000 tons, and a British loss of 113,410 tons. In addition, it is deduced that the casualties, listed as 3,300 men, must have been much higher, the crews of the de stroyed ships doubtless having great loss. The assumption unlisted vessels were the new and un- known product of war-time shipyards, not so efficiently handled as the others, would account for both their loss and the ability to conceal it. Several other German ships were badly disabled, it is asserted. suffered that these ELECTRIC WATERWORKS SYSTEMS FOR FARMS The complete electrification of the farm is only a matter of a short time, as the manufacturers of electrical machinery are rapidly adapting it to rural requirements. A late development along this line is the production of electrically driven pumps in five sizes and capacities, the smallest of which will raise 840 gal. of water per hour froma depth of 35 ft., while the most pow erful of the series has a capacity of 200 gal. per hour from a depth of 300 ft. The driving motors, which are wound for both low and standard voltages, are mounted on top of the pump columns and drive the mechanisms through the medium of in closed chains. When the water-line pres sure drops to 25 lb., an automatic switch starts the motor, which runs continuously Electric Waterworks for Rural Homes. Left: The Self-Contained Motor-and-Pump Assembly without Storage Tank. Right: A Complete Unit until the pressure is raised to 40 lb., when the switch opens and cuts off the power. Current consumption is said to be about one kilowatt per hour.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 591 x* Raining Cats and Dogs will Be No Mere Figure of Speech When Aerial Advertising, by Means of Parachutes and Other Forms of Air Floats—As They are Called—Becomes Devices are Made in All Manner of Shapes. Common, In Fact, These Tissue-Paper When Dropped from Airplanes They Inflate and Float for Long Distances before Settling to Earth TOY-PARACHUTE SWARMS MAKE GOOD ADVERTISING Dropping flocks and swarms of gayly colored toy parachutes from low-flying air- lanes is the latest method of advertising devised by a publicity Any ob *t dropped from a plane is certain to at- ict attention and arouse curiosity which ults in friendly interest and, sooner or ale of the advertiser's merchan- ise, if the object bears a message bi lding This is the rea lowed by a central-western publicity con- vhich is making a specialty of aerial advertising, using tissue-paper parachutes nd other forms,such as giant dragon flies, inimal shapes, grotesque and comical hu- man figures, ete., all so designed that, hen dropped from a plane, they inflate ind float gently to earth. The rate of de- cent is so slow that the wording on ban- ners or pennants borne by them can be easily read by spectators. A concrete ex- ample of a successful method of using these ideas is that adopted by a Mich- igan merchant during the holidays. Hun- expert, or patronage, soning fol- dreds of the g iudy parachut s, each bear ing a gift—doll, drum, tin trumpet, o other light-weight playtl ere liber ated over the merchant’s home city. A the juvenile population had been warne to be on the lookout for them, and t! rule of “finders are keepers” had been 11 ituted, th fair wa Vo lah cess by d roandé re Speci parachute de for the U. S. A R cruiting S« are colored ri rite ind blue, and bear an invit n t enlist in the air service and Ik whil yu earn.” This form of i doubtless, become quit ulat @ W ool is b ‘ing Woy l into b ni { ind sold in that form by f rs of No Carolina, through arrat ts with local manufacturers, made with state and gov ernment assistance. expect, a a result, to realize more than 50 cents pet pound for wool that was finding no ac- ceptable market. veme Growers

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SOME NOVEL AND LITTLE-KNOWN ACCESSORIES That may or Laid Down without Soiling the Cap Its c ' c Simple ruct on tle Electric Cigar Light- er, with Rubber to Save the Table Top, Operated from the Lighting Circuit The Ragged Edge of the Car eae . ee “ Turned Up and Smoothed New Can Opene That like Scissors Designed 5 for Growing Glass Vase from Fran Handsomely orated A Drain-Basket Frame for the Kitchen Sink, with a Raised Platform for the Dishpan The Slipperiest Fish is Easily Held Firmly and Scaled with a Novel Combination of Tail Clamp, Mouth Hook, and Sca ing Tool Now the Smoker is Accommo dated with a Reading Lamp of His Own, Which Includes an Ash Receiver and Match Holder and is Made in Different De- signs, One Adjustable

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INTENDED FOR THE HOME AND ITS MEMBERS Beauty and Safety are Both Conserved by a New Elec- Light Fixture with a rtable- Lamp Connection a Metal Tassel at the Center Nonskid Rubber That Revolves Wears’ Evenly, r Rubber and venting Run- over A Pocketknife That Utilizes a Safety- Razor Blade, with a Strengthening Support for the Blade and a Cigar Clipper in the Handle A Curious Ornamental Lamp for Burning Per- {¥% A Portable, Orna- fume, in a Limousine, as mental Heater That Above, or in the Boudoir y Looks Electric, but Works with a Gas Mantle in the Center of Its Copper Re flector, Which Is Ad justable For Saving Hospital Patients the Discomfort of a Wrinkled Sheet, Four Newly Invented Sheet Straps are Used. They are Fastened to the Bed | Springs A Folding Metal Stand That is Set in the Sink to Support the Dish- pan, Correcting the User's Stoop- ing Position Any Bundle may Now Ac- A Simple Double Connector quire a Regular Suitcase for Flat Iron and Lamp, Handle, Which Clips on with or Similar Combinations: It Strong Fasteners, as at the Fits between the Halves of eft a Two-Part Plug

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POPULAR AUTO-THEFT A'T Al ALARM “SHRIEKS” EVERY TURN OF WHEELS

-thief d ( rage ic pro- {t z i l. 1 { a i ery ‘ ( a | tellio 1 tread ( It i he ‘ nil Olé lih< T ( +1 ; ‘ ! ‘ ( i ( r ‘ rie ) the ed ct cl é ( ¢ 1 SMALL DEVELOPING TANK IS SIMPLE AND CAPACIOUS e Ci Ity « itute 1 ( ( ne trorm ot devel- oping tank, hic takes 1 het ite oO! 11 th<« ] tter rol] oO ( () ‘ i ( ily 3 . ! l | h; om for three holde1 each oi which hold Sid plate S or film A strip ot metal the leneth of the ink, with removable fl along Films or he strip, are held

+ « i« anges the ede: a. a holder. composes plates,-on both sides of t flatly in place until development is com- pleted, and then quickly removed by tak- ing off the flanges.

MECHANICS STUDY OF DRY-KILN METHODS INTERESTS LUMBERMEN

All branches of the lumber industry represented by men who come from ni — coe and distant states to attend the courses 1 kiln-dr d mor , e ko Produc t¢ | Wi i 4 ( S Dé ‘ \ c¢ j Cc t ‘ ( discussion } t te ( l 1 ( ( in ( ( ( oO 1mvpre ( am. \¥ | \ i OC | } Cle L i sized t! } | be bre 1 T TT" YT ~é & CADTY TQ TAQCYV NOVEL POST CARD IS EAS} To TTISE IN ” CWRITER TO USE IN TYPEWRITER { using ¢ riter have ‘ ( 4 ed 1 , ‘ nee i ¢ Ty¢ 7? t Ci be r i | ley t | . 1 | 1¢ I ' | t idt oe e’¢ ( mm ¢ le Ir ide i fie ect erte , the typewriter, th ( ( 1 < I creased strip, and t nt ess ‘ ten on the body of the « lL be ‘ the card is torn off, the strip told forward and pasted down, bringu t iddress on the face. DANISH SHINGLE DEPOSIT IS EXPLOITED ON LARGE SCALE A beach-shingle deposit, approximate]: 1,000 ft. wide and 10 to 13 ft. deep, stretch ing along the southern coast K 0g Bay, Denmark, is being worked on an extensive scale, as there is a strong d mand for the small and medium-sized pebbles for concrete making and road- of

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POPULAR MECHANICS 595

\ilding purposes. A very difficult trans- means of a short lever which projects portation situation, presented by the shal- from it. The threading cut is made in the »w water of the bay, was overcome by usual way with the exception that when ‘onstructing a large shiploading silo, the end is reached, the lathe crossfeed is bout 1,000 ft. off shore, and conveying . saiincchincemaiiaaibainaaiianaeiaa the assorted pebbles to it by means of ropeways. The silo is divided into two smpartments of 300 cu. yd. each, which charge their contents directly into ship- holds by way of wide chutes, this opera- tion requiring only 15 to 20 minutes for ee - ; the average shipload. Including the op- \a | eration of the sorting breaker, the entire indling process is mechanical,

A New Threading-Bit Holder. Left: Making a Cut. Lower: Raised during Reversal of Lathe Carriage HEAVY MACHINERY FASTENED_~ - TO FLOORS BY CEMENT > \ Swiss engineer has introduced a new tem of installing heavy machinery by > 1c use of which bolts, lag screws, spikes, c., are eliminated, their place being ken by a very strong cement which is plied, hot, to felt pads of the proper and thickness. After heating the pots upon which the machine is to stand, | also the feet of the machine, the ids are laid in position and the machine upon them, It is claimed that this

not backed off, but the cutter is brought out of engagement with the work by pul ing the small lever toward the operator During the reverse travel of the carriage the crossfeed is moved the proper distance inward to make the next cut. As the for ward movement again begins, the tool 1s brought into engagement with the work by moving the lever forward, away from the operator. DRAFTSMEN’S HATCHING TOOL SPACES LINES EVENLY Drawing evenly spaced crosshatching

Old and New Methods of Anchoring Machinery. lines is relieved of much of its labor by an eft: a : » A = 4° 9 . ort ° 4 eee Fate Benergualy Bares. FEM! Ohio man’s invention. This device, slid and Deaden Vibration ing longitudinally on the T-square, carri test eae . er on en ee a short straightedge with a small perpen not only equals bolting for security, b dicular sliding movement. An adjustab! rmits greater flexibility and greatly d pointer on one end is placed opposite eac! creases vibration and noise. Other bene ne drawn. before drawing the next nts are the avoidance of the labor of drill- by turnit ya er iduated roller in contact nchorage holes in hard cement floors, With th paper, ring <« pa | that the machinery cannot be classed being part of the building, as it is in ) manner permanently attached to it. NEW SCREW-THREAD CUTTING TOOL IS EASY TO USE Screw-thread cutting on the lathe i implihed by a new threading tool recently offered by an eastern manufacturer. The high-speed steel cutter is clamped in a barrellike fitting, which is built into the = : end of the tool holder. The barrel can be Evenly Spaced Lines are Easily Made by Sliding ¢! f . ‘ Straightedge, with the Aid of the Pointer turned toward or from the operator by and Graduated Roller

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M6 POPULAR STEEL STOOL ON ROLLERS IS BOON TO FILE CLERKS

1 , 1 ’ rine cierKS WhO WOTK on tieir treet day, : ing to the ¢ ( ¢ 4 l W1i ’ ic ome ¢ I } ( | tf tool tere , % } Ovhi | ( IZeqd ( os os T ¢ b Lit eT | 1 T © ¢ | ¢ ( ( i T ~ 1n qd { T \ l it he rnt sc l ilated } { e ( ot th é W ¢ 1 { T ‘ t 4 AIT Dr mr we Tr ATT mA — COWL-BOARD METER INDICATES AUTO-BATTERY WATER LEVEL \ If ( ( ( t , 1D é Or ¢ | W r in +9 ‘ ‘ t inte ls ot 12 to 14 ( ‘

1 i ‘ ——" cas ( il { ( neal ) natic y ( mmeté toh oO mi¢ ion € Cc ) i rd, h; i ¢ ( }) b « ced on he rarket. The oltmet in stead of the u 1 « bration, i ked with the words “lo and “high, h indicate e filler caps, fitted with I which battery fluid id electrode protrude into the cells but do not touch the plates, are used to replace those in the end cells of the battery, and Two ; are connected to the meter. So long as the electrodes are immersed in the fluid, cur- rent will flow through and be registered by the meter, the pointer swinging to the high side. Immediately either electrode becomes uncovered by the falling of the MECHANICS circuit is brok« the word | ad n, and the point m4 “low.” This occur in vance of the thie tO} ol the plates, « pienisn the water pet PLUNGER TOOL DRIVES FENCE GROUNDING WIRE INTO EARTH T+ +7 ' ; , ‘ is the practice to gr ly fe I ‘ rotection to cCatti« ] tnine , ( I OT i Ing l +] ‘ tier ( e ] } l at ; lab ( OTT (Ce | tai ) if ( i ; t t ‘ i 1 1 1 ( ed ?1 | tT ( 1 | F I ik < — 1 ‘ + ¢ C +

the t1 a t tc t< etiect ] . , £ f} | } n { us¢ Ol a Lil LLit ‘ il i aii 1 - 1 . eT has Ist t iC n 7 ' rked ( Ve e it Col ( ( np r the e! ot t e lower he of the « 1, and ha ] T 1 yr tens aqdju ? } hnut o1 plun | ‘ 1 | voted a camlik«e evel ( ( ! ° 7 ral ed 1 l owered 100 1} ( t g the snares. This lever ) mo t it can e ft a t rac i I

Muffler Attachment on the Lower Hoop of the Drum Dotted Lines Show Different Lever Positions against the side of the drum, or project straight out,at the drummer’s convenience.

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SMOKE-BURNING DEVICE ADDS TO FURNACE EFFICIENCY A new water-cooled baffle-plate device for installation in the firebox of a conven- tional up-draft furnace POPULAR MECHANICS 597 to 45 per cent of the heat value of the fuel. Taking this estimate as a basis, the manu facturers claim the device will effect a coal! economy of 10 to 15 per cent. An impor- tant feature of the installation is that it has the effect of convert- ing it into one having ome of the characteris- tics of the down-draft type. It is simple in con- truction, consisting of hollow steel com- partments, of different heights, arranged cross- wise of the firebox, at a point somewhat to the ear of thecenter,withthe higher one at the back, Burner. Right: tion. two Views of the Draft-Diverting Smoke Ready for Installa- Sectional View the Device In- Lower Left: of a Firebox with stalled, Showing the Path of the Smoke and Gases. Circulation of the Water through the Hollow Baffle Chambers. Device can be Turned on Its Water- Tight Swivel Joints to Permit Easy Access to the Boiler Flues Lower Right: The thus dividing the firebox into two distinct combus- tion zones. Pipe connec- ons between the sections of the device and the boiler lead the water ough the former and make it part of the boiler As the two cham- bers are separated by a few inches and the high- er one reaches to the boiler crownsheet, the rases and smoke liberated by the forward portion of the fire are forced to pass over the top of the low forward sec- tion, down between it and the rear section, under the latter, and over the hottest part of the fire, where they are consumed, It is estimated that the gases constitute 35 irca. >» poe Oe ON Oe Ge Ge UN NNN AD | a >» o> | z | 1S SANS SS Asn b ona gege is so mounted on swiveling pipe joints placed at the top and bottom centers, that it may be turned lengthwise of the fire box to allow easy access to the flues fot cleaning. SPEEDY HYDROPLANE BOAT HAS DOUBLE V-SHAPED BOTTOM A newly patented hydroplane boat, that is attracting some attention just now, is chiefly remarkable for the shape of its bottom, which, viewed longitudinally, — is of double V-shape or like an inverted “W.” The aye are deepest at the square bow, and taper gradu- ally to a flat stern. The re- sult of this unusual formation is that, in action, the stern does not settle down as the bow rises, but takes a gliding posi- tion on the surface, the grooves diverting from the propeller any air taken in at the bow. There are two rudders, one at each side of the stern, inclined a little toward each other at the top. When either is speed grooves turned inward, the tendency is to raise th boat a little higher in the water, and in- crease the buoyancy as it turns. The fact that the craft virtually rests upon thre keels contributes to its steadiness. eG" F : - a i oe i Front, Side, and Bottom Views of the New Hydro- plane Speed Boat, Revealing the Shape of the Doub! V-Grooves, Which Turn Away from the Propeller Any Air Taken in at the Front, and Keep the Hull in Gliding Position

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998 POPULAR. RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL IS AUTOMATIC IN ACTION \ Tall ( ignal recentl pat ented is on the order ot the famnliar sema t/ a | i 4 a f | in \ | 7 t : | J = 4 — T] ta i Y | : | ie 4 M « a , Gp STOP STOP \ | { 4 = } [ ~~) | | | NO)! i Automatic Rail - Cri 1] Let t WM i ot tt pr t 1 Tr } t I Clear |} } N« D er . j |] ‘ ich 4 | to! | \ pon the } ( tt The « 4% is act 7 _ \ ? j t | ny oT +h »| it y ind t t } |} I e mic f . e+ ths & : $+ ‘4 : ind controlled Ty -|| by a normal ° i} | j 1 ‘'™1 | el ergized L eRe | solenoid. The ’ e = si = ——' . . ap] ch ¢ t moving train h; the eftec f deénergizing the sole- noid, which \ toy signal, con- i of y conspicuous disks attached to a cros to swing c! vise of the roadway. Fog-piercing semaphore lights, also mounted on the crossarm, give ample " 1 y ¢ yf arning at n Le PATENTED METHOD OF CUTTING TAPERED LOGS SAVES WOOD io th B S te ot cut tapered Ik para 1 with the ( l ead of to a center line, an Oregon lumberman, who ha obtained a patent on the method 4 ee - — = ——— ae >. = — —- 2 Top: The Common, and Wasteful, Method of Cutting Tapered Logs. Bottom: The New Patented Method tity and quality of the lumber. By the old method, all the boards are tapered, and the outside cuts greatly shortened, making much waste. None of the boards MECHANICS is tapered by the new system, and the wedge-shaped center is cut into use short lengths. It is calculated that 10 board teet are saved by cutting a 16-ft log, of W-in. top and 36-in. bri way. O1 iemonstration, the invent US¢ a MWimiy ( 1) I 1] ot veneet in l ( ] to Ii¢ Will : ri e «4 } Di ( ) ill¢ to a | + ‘ COl tine | ! 1 1 eq iu ( 1] L ¢ iyed ctl ( 1 ( + 1 , ' re | ( j . 1 oO } i l i ¢ ( ( j of e bel] +; 1 ] 1 t } >) T Ter 1 T ] { i 1 ( ( f t ‘ ; P ‘ ( i) { appal ( I Details of the Delayed-Action Camera-Shutter Release Left: Ratchet-and-Pawl System Which Operate Shutter Cable Center: Attached to Camera I Enlarged View Showing Starting Button ‘ - 1 out t the « tic of 15 ae e operate tl camera s | itever speed it 1 be set f IMPROVED AUTO TRAILER HAS GREAT VERSATILITY A Cok upon the ¢ : in-a vehicle which has, among other fe: tures, a cl chassis, slung to the axles. The body is support inventor has improve rado n nwents ] ne mventionai type ol auto tr: iannel-section unde: on the chassis by tront and rear tra verse springs. Strong grill sections are supplied with the outfit, which can be quickly applied to convert the open bo body into one suitable for the transporta tion of chickens, hogs, sheep, or cattle .nd horses. When on tour, light luggage, such as suitcases, is stowed in the lower part of the body, leaving the upper portion, which projects slightly even

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POPULAR

Iwo Lattice-Body Double-Deck Sleeping Design with a Hinged Side vove the lids when these are closed, for he disposition of larger articles, such as he tent, blankets, etc. The double-deck rrangement also lends itself to the mak ing of individual sleeping quarters, a full bed being made on each deck. Th bar equipped with a compressio1 prins to absorb the shocks of sudde1 tal Two and four-wheel trailers a1 ipplied. The latter may be used a sae r oh: y horse-drawn vehicle by attaching a ree to the drawbar coupler. FLEXIBLE ELECTRIC CONDUIT HAS PORCELAIN INSULATION 1 improved or cable, hi: form of flexible is been produced for use in bakery ovens, or other places where ex- it insulation ordi- wary kinds. In ive heat quickly burns o1 Ol Lie the new type the principal insulation is number ot porcelain bushings, . 11 = pierced by two ’ oo holes through Un 2 ’ vy hich > tes eg which th € wires aTte threaded. The bushings areé the

concave on and Cc end other, so that they are free to move easily sidewise without binding, as would be the Ole Oonvex on case if they were square on the ends. This, and the fact that they are quite short, accounts for the surprising flexi- bility of the cable. Additional protection is afforded by an armor of packed flexible metal tubing. asbestos-

Designs Used on a Newly Designed Trailer Accommodations are Panel MECHANICS 599

Left: With the Half Covers Close I Furnished Right: A Slightly Diftere: besides the Res ular End Gate VENDING MACHINE FOR STAM} SELLS BLOCKS OF FIVE vo-cent d } Ol v¢ di na < in¢ Ames ia = ; fomh - reer ™ i 1 cde ead I | the C vel e , nce ¢ pian ¢ mp l« Vy ¢ positing nicke! in slot, or a dim« in another, and turning one

key on the de half a revoluti ( drum to engage five stamps by their ] forations, and eject them through t window. Both the coins and the rol stamps are visible through the gla of the case. COFFEE CONSUMPTION HEAVY IN UNITED STATES The coffee consumption of the | States, for the yeal showed an increase ‘ year, according to figures of the Bu of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. increase over the preceding year wi: 399,000,000 Ib., the entire amount co! sumed being 1,358,000,000 Ib. At the r of 40 cups per pound, which is a fai average, the increase would be about 16 000,000,000 cups. The consumption rat per capita 1s 12.7 lb.. or about 500 cuy ended June OU, la ovel any previot Th

Page 122

CHILDREN’S PICTURE-STORY DEPARTMENT | This Picture Is Remarkable for the Reason That It was Taken at a Close Enou Range to Show Small Details of the Beautiful Plumage Clearly. So Timid That TI Seldom “ Bird’s gh Fitting Skatelike Runners to a “Scootmobile”’ Con- verts It into a Year- Round Toy, As, When So Changed, It may be Used on Ice or Tightly Packed Snow 7 ms * a AY Me A, | a ) haiti dps 1 me Virginia Went into Encampment for 600 toric Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Playing Games, They Gave a One Hundred Members of Boys’ Clubs of the States of Maryland, Virginia, and West a Week Last Summer in the Beautiful and His- Besides Listening to Lessons on Farming and Pageant Based on an Old Indian Legend ©

Page 123

OF MODERN ACTIVITIES AND INTERESTS i cr in the Thousand A Part of the Reliet I Which 1,800 School Chil 1 the Formation Known What might be Called an “Eskimo Kiddie Car” Has Sled Runners in Place of Wheels. The Front Run- ners Turn So That It Steers Just like a Bobsied Rear Admiral Newton A. McCully Did His Adopting of Homeless Russian Children on a Wholesale Scale, Finding Room in His Heart and Home for Five Boys and Two Girls, Ranging in Age from Three to Twelve Years. Above are Pictured the Admiral, Six of the New Family, and a Nurse. The Seventh Tot is Hiding behind the Child at the Right

Page 124

602 POPULAR SMALL, POWERFUL HAND VISE IS USEFUL IN MANY WAYS Hand vises are usually little more than screw clamps, for use where a more pos- The New Hand Vise, with a Geared Jaw | Feed That Insures a | Positive, Solid Grip | on Round or Flat Work: The One-Inch Jaws Open 2% Inches sitesi cieeensiaaaiielaeetid ‘a itive grip is needed than pliers will give. A form recently placed on the market, however, is made with such care and me chanical skill that it finds an entirely ne\ field of usefulness. The square, polished l-in. jaws open 2!4 in., traveling on two screws and a smooth gtide rod, all three of which are geared together and operated bv a pivoted handle on o ide, An ac curate groove One ja enabl round as well as flat 1 held. The tool, which is 914 in. long, may be held by the handle in a b in a special ball-and able to any angle. nch vise, or socket holder adjust- SIMPLIFIED BOTTLE CAPPER FILLS A HOUSEHOLD NEED The application of metallic caps to bottles is a simple matter with a designed for home use. The t-metal frame forward on a tubing at the bottom, mounted upon a U-shaped rod which sup- ports a crosspiece of steel at the top in which a crimping socket is centered. To use, a bottle is placed in the frame crimp d new tool bottle is supported in a shiee which rocks backward 1 section of steel a 7 and a rs, ry es — zg 7 j Right: Capper Open; Bottle and Cap in Position. Left: Closed; Cap | Crimped MECHANICS cap applied to the neck loosely. Upon rocking the frame toward the operator a cam action occurs which has the effect of shortening the distance between the crosspiece and the bottom of the frame. As the action is continued, the crimping socket is finally brought against the cap, forcing it onto the bottle neck with a pressure of about 300 Ib., when a 30-lb. forward pull is exerted, crimping it se- curely in place. NEW MOTOR-TRUCK JACK HAS DOUBLE LIFTING SCREWS A compound screwjack, especially de- signed for motor-truck and tractor serv ice, has two concentric screws as the lift- ing element. After the main inner has Screw been exX- tended to its limit, the sec- ondary outer which is threaded in- ternally and externally, be- eins to extend by turning in the iron hous- ing body. This arrangement results ina very compact tool which may be extended from a 914-in. collapsed dimension to a total height of 19'4 in. The double-lift makes the jack of value as part of the tractor equipment, as it compensates for the distance which the bottom of the tool is certain to sink into soft ground. screw, feature exceptional DISK CHART GIVES FIGURES FOR MIXING FERTILIZER In mixing fertilizers to cont percentages ol iin certain active material, a consid erable amount of figuring is saved by the use of a disk chart prepared by a southern agricultural college. Two cardboard disks ire eyeleted together at the center, the front one carrying tables of material with the percentage of phosphoric acid, nitrogen, potash, or all three, and con taining a radial slot with numbers, from 1 to 12, along its sides. The rear disk is turned until the percentage figure desired for the mixture appears in the slot, and below it, opposite the number correspond ing to the tables, is found the correct proportion of material, in pounds per ton.

Page 125

= ton Pate On Information as to where to obtain any specified materials or parts for making objects described in following pages may be had, on request, Bureau of Information.—Editor the from n Air Compressor for Isolated Garages By S. E. FREW tan! - ‘or the Garage Not Equipped with Any ir Compressor, the Outfit 1 Cheap Metho “Free Air the air of Sion ie taken to supply ieneeds ofthe shop. While the tire pump eat deal of ordinary necessary, in some Cases, ype of compressor; this point, however, ing, the air may troorn r? I work, it to use a different + ‘ like the selection of the size of the wind mill, and its mounting, must be determined by individual turbine, small grinders, requirements, as no rule can

Page 126

604 A Screw-Sorting Machine A concern that used large quantities of machine screws found that a number of HOPPER SCREW

} >] ] | Iq + TAPERED . Ae! | l ; ROLLERS sa as MOTOR CORK A Simple Machine That Work of Sorting CHUTE CONTAINER Considerably Lightens the Machine Screws: It may be Con- structed with Very Little Labor, and will Amply Repay the Time Spent upon It separate sizes had become mixed in the tockroom bins. Sorting by hand was ut of the question, on account of the large number of screws involved, so the nachine shown in the illustration was built, proving very satisfactory for the task. No dimensions are given in tl 1 drawing, as these depend upon the range of sizes to be sorted. A pair of tapered steel rollers are mounted, as shown, on a wooden bedplate, hopper being fastened rally between them. A rubber cemented to the lat sheet-steel cen- band 1s 1d of each roller, fer el 4] ae a . -_ , one ot the rollers being driven through a 1 . 11 1 1 ¢ mall cork pulley, mounted on the shaft « .fractional-horsepower motor. Thisroller n turn, drives the other, through the ubber bands. The various sizes of screws containers ard directio1 nd are prefer . Shee, Oak Park, lrop into chutes leading to the The rollers turn in an outw is indicated by the arro\ bly casehardened.—P. | Welding Castings without Preheating In welding large or peculiarly shaped castings of very thin metal, is steam radiators, lleys with thin ri large pulley and similar pieces, it is often difficult and expensive to preheat them before making the weld with the oxyacetylene torch. To eliminate the necessity of preheat- ing, I place the casting on a welding table, or block, the broken parts being brought into proper alinement. A quan- tity of wet fireclay, just heavy enough to daub well, is applied thickly on all parts of the casting adjacent to the weld, care POPULAR MECHANICS being taken to allow none on the break. The weld is then started, and if the fire- clay dries out too much, it is knocked off, and a fresh cold batch is applied. The object is to keep the casting cool so that there will be no rush of heat from the extreme hot part of the weld, and thus avoid undue strains on cooling. In the case of a pulley, make a wooden or cardboard template of the perimeter of the wheel. Use screw jacks set on the hub, and apply the template to tell when the rim is in the correct position for weld ing.—Lester C. Land, Greenfield, Ind. A Ball-Turning Lathe Tool Many devices for forming balls in the lathe have been made and used, but the one shown in the drawing has the

————— SSS

merit of sim plicity and cheap- _awor | ness, and is par- mae . — ae ; i — a ticularly applica- — ) ble to production ‘he work. The tool bit is revolved in an arc ty a

by means of a handle in the of the holder, the py \ latter being Os pivoted to the = : shank, This makes it possible to form the ball as de sired. The drawing shows one kind of work possible with a tool of this kind, but it can be adapted to any style of spher- ical work, Clamp for Filing Screws When it is desired to shorten a screw, the usual method of holding it in the vise, in addition to damaging the head,

SCREWS TO | BE FILED orren tries the pa tience of the machinist ‘| he l mp le

tool shown in the drawing greatly facili screws, holdin

tates the shortening of them firmly during the process. A piece of flat cold-rolled steel is bent y ’ > and slotted to take the wedge that lock the screw heads. The holes in the steel need not be threaded, the screws being merely dropped into place and the wedge tapped home.

Page 127

Pneumatic Remote Control for Motors \ tactory manager arrived at the con- that too much time was lost by the practice of having the electrician walk ciusion rough the various departments, located eparate floors, to start and stop th tric motors. Inasmuch as it was not ed e to break the rule that th was to perform this duty, som: ‘ + , ] . ( remote control was suggested i Ol the motor! tarting switches were inclosed safety type with a on the side; several methods « n vere con idered, but finally it to open at d « { e switche irom a ilve in it l ’ compre om + 1. | til Dé } ead ii ) + i | ( TIC ¢ Ci( Cd porn €« i é on Cc T t che nn on whic t S t ( nted \] ty fitted wit ( th] ( eathe linked to ( Phe « el t t 1 bott ' , r er » tie ir line | Tt jel S¢ ( lecting the »? ¢ tea A | ~— 2 yy 3 Bias to, e j

ak a ‘ Walk j RF D IR [ - y i REMO OP my A iy ¥ Pm = r + ‘. Aa “ F, , ; } a 4 t fateh z [1 CAD», Se Fei} EARTH “ A | PE | Re ai : € j Pi 4 + “4 J Y f j 5 / j Sati" A \ ‘ i \ BOLTS | Ni He \/3 F ' Nas 2 . Vv WITH + ote teps Molded I I f ; ( S I } } } } V Str ‘ { t t t Dur } f v a ¢ a Ss i Ce t to makg¢ fli] i | ach tt ( ce \ th th S 9 ( | ( ‘ ‘ 4] } + it e | l 4 1 : ‘ 4 i ‘ 4 { ‘ t ( m 1 To r ( \ l ( ¢ T ( ( ‘ ' ; { | ‘ ( 1@7T ! ( ( ( effected, 1 the fin é iob is 1 lighter, but ifficiently si I 1 i ] 1rtd< intender ‘ . Protecting Spark-Plug Porcelains If spark-plug porcelain re allowed t rattle around in the tool box with a col lection of tools, th are ve! likely t become cracked Hlowever, if the insu lators are inserted into sl sections of ¢ 2 ee ae a garden hose, about 3 in. long, and cork is placed in each end, little or no damagt can be done to them. If the hose is smal enough to fit the plugs snugly, no corks will be needed.—Forrest Benson, Boulder Colorado.

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606 POPULAR Ash Truck for Power House One of the problems of the small power plant, the handling of ashes, has been SIDE-OUTLET RAILING ELBOW — SHEET IRON — a PIPE —*| ASHCANS —- A F | i ¥ | REVOLVING WOODEN CASTERS - - SQUARE SHAFT l — =) Pa | -— + rei = = = > f OTTOM = = VIEW END v s over the I r is Eliminated by t Truc rated, to t! of Both Ca 1 | l i. Cc 1 . » 3 { i ) ‘ i the truck t lust his truck carries t ish ¢ from tl pit to the elevator that lifts them to the street level. Che I nnel over the cans catch the a hes is they ire rake d or sho eled from the it nd preve their being scattered over the floor. The truck is light and easily stowed a ay when not in use, and the savi wear on both ash cans and floor more than pays for its con struction.—B. W. B tnall, Seattle, Wasl Keeping the Vise Jaws Parallel od oe \ mpie devik I i ja ) +] { 1€ ,0aWO el, 15S mat from 1ece | ) ] i by 2 . 1 in i | : t t! PP fe) { } | | 4 | Pt | ; ! 1 j ] | b 4 j . ta \ i 1 FE \ ow 4 | wie slot + 1 HINGE 1 > l ™ 11, NOTCHE 1ARDWOOD KEY In, wide, 1S cut in the bench leg, directly opposite the jaw, and 1 % by Y-in. hardwood key is fitted across the bottom of the slot. The bar is IECHANICS set, by means of the notches, to approxi- mately the same thickness as the piece to be held in the vise. The harder the wood used for the bar, the nearer together the notches may be cut, thus giving a closer adjustment.—]J. Alexander, Lincoln, Neb. Making a Vent in the Exhaust Pipe When fitting a muffler cut-out to the exhaust, trouble is usually met in getting a clean-cut job. A V-shaped opening, aside from being an unsatisfactory vent interferes with the butterfly valve used in some cut-outs. First make two trans verse cuts, at the proper distance apart with a hacksaw, cutting the pipe halfway through. Then make a diagonal cut from One corner to another so that the meta! between the two cuts is divided trianeu larly; these triangk haped points at bent back and cut oft, le iving a rectangu lar opening that will neither interfere wit { of the « chaust e | operation otf the cut-out C passage nor with Securing Lag Screws in Cement or Brick he practice of sec ng lag screws in brick or coner work by means of a yoden plug driven into a hole drilled t wall is itistactory, owing to the tendene i Te hh z~__— the wood to shrink |} and drop out \ 14 re if fact method c : drill Nn th ho t] 1 al 32 | then d _ : 4 i of lead i ] | l I rnal qdiametet maller than the lag i. W the lag screw is screwed into such a lead shed hole, the lead is ex led the uneven surface of the brick o1 crete nd grips mly, n ng Tools from Old Files betore iitemptingege to make ft MOIS, is punches, drifts, etc., from old file 1 1 " ' that the temper is properly drawn, who kno how to do it. T teel used for files j tempered too hard to be used without annealing, especial! for tools that are struck with a hammer. If the temper is not drawn, the steel ymeone flakes off, and the small pieces fly with great velocity, and may imbed themselves deeply in the eye‘or flesh.

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POPULAR Marking Irregular Curves lo save time when inking in duplicate ines by the aid of an irregular curve, the iraftsman usually places marks along the lve of the instrument to designate that portion matching the first line drawn. \s a rule, the irregular curve is made of ‘elluloid, on which it is difficult to make mark. Also, the marks are easily rubbed off. These faults can be overcome by roughening the face of the curve with fine sandpaper. The surface obtained by his treatment will readily take a pencil 1ark.—C. M. Vaiden, San _ Francisco, ilifornia, A Useful Brad Driver The accompanying drawing shows a art-sectional view of a tool that is very onvenient for driving brads in close quarters where a hammer cannot be used. The plunger, or driver, is made of steel, the tip being hardened and tem- pered,and then mag- netized. This plunger works in an outer sleeve, which consists of a piece of brass tubing, either soldered or brazed to a brass plug, the plug being drilled a few thou- sandths larger than the plunger tip. A hole is drilled through the plunger, just above the shoulder, to take the stop pin that slides in a slot in the outer sleeve. The return motion of the plunger is obtained from the spring fitting between the shoulder on the plunger and the bottom plug. A con- venient length for the tool is about 414 in., making it adapted to the woodworker’s tool chest—Ernest Schwartz, Brooklyn, New York, PLUNGER OR DRIVER SPRING - SLEEVE SOLDER MAGNETIZED PLUNGER TIP An Adjustable Drilling Jig Anyone who has had the job of mark- ing off and drilling a long series of holes knows how slow and, usually, inaccu- rate the work is, when done by ordinary methods, { The adjustable jig shown in the draw- ing saves much time and assures accuracy. MECHANICS 607 The device consists of three machine-steel blocks, each drilled with two *%-in. holes, to take two pieces of drill rod. The two endpieces fit tight, and the center piece is made a sliding fit, and should have a clearance of a few thousandths at the bot- DRILL ROD — SLIOING MEMBER ———.7. ' 12"SCALE— V-GROOVE = SS An Adjustable Drilling Jig by Means of Which a Number of Holes can be Accurately Lined Up and Spaced: By Using Standard Bushings, Holes of Any Size may be Drilled; V-Grooves Permit the Device to be Used on Cylindrical Work tom, in order to slide freely when the end blocks are clamped to the work in the manner shown. The sliding center block is drilled to take standard bushings, and a line is scribed through the center of the hole on top. A 12-in. steel scale, fastened to the end blocks, makes it po sible to space the holes accurately by moving the central block until the mark on it lines up with the desired measure- ment on the scale, a setscrew being pro- vided to hold the block stationary. \ grooves may be cut into the blocks in order to use the jig on round stock, An Emergency Snap Gauge A serviceakle snap gauge for use in emergency may be formed as illustrated. A piece of flat steel is clamped on each side of two short sec- tions of round cold-rolled steel. The round pieces COLD-ROI should, of STEEL course, be se- | lected careful- ly, as near the required size as possible, and all burrs should be removed before assembling. For work where great pr« cision is not essential, a gauge of this kind will be better than calipers. |

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608 Anchor Nails for Heavy Loads Nails and spikes that will carry heavy loads, and, where there is ordinarily dan- ger of their pulling loose, can be anchored in such a way that it will be {f almost impos- 4, sible to re- “+; move them 44 without tear- Yj, ing the wood, |} can be made 4 as shown in 1} the drawing, 4, by drilling a hole through the center of the spike, the hole being carried out through the side, near the point, at a slight angle. The method of drilling the curved hole is shown in Fig. 1. The drilled spike is then straightened and driven home, and a long, thin wire nail is driven into the bored hole. This is forced out through the side in a curve and securely anchors the spike, as in Fig. 3—Harry Hertzberg, Brook- lyn, N. Y. é HOLE : Fis.! Fic.2 Fic.3 Light-Duty Flexible Couplings A simple form of flexible coupling, one that is noiseless, requires no lubrication, and can be turned out easily and cheaply, makes use of a disk made of sole leather, or similar material. The most common method of making a coupling of this type is to make two flanged collars, drilling or boring them to fit the shaft, and providing them with suitable setscrews or keys. Each disk has three pins, or dow- els, inserted near the edge, 120° apart; these are permitted to project beyond the face of the disk just a trifle less than the thickness of the disk used. Some tough, resilient ma- terial,likesole leather, or the substitutes that are on the market for this purpose, should be used for thé disk, which is cut to the same di- ameter as the flanges. Six holes, M4 in. larger than the pins, are drilled near the edge to take the driving pins. sPiDeRS—aKU LA POPULAR MECHANICS The flanged collars are attached to their shafts so that their faces will be separated about Me in. more than the thickness of the disk. 3y making use of a two or three-armed spider, and attaching the disk rigidly to it with bolts or rivets, a coupling for heavier duty is obtained. In both styles, the turning movement of one shaft is positively transmitted to the other, and at the same time any irregularities in aline- ment are automatically taken care of with- out imposing a bending action on the shafts and their supports.—H. S. Trecar- tin, Waltham, Mass. Spring Roller Holds Extension Light Cord Instead of being obliged to coil up the electric-light cord and hang it on a hook each time it is used, a spring curtain roller can be ar- ranged to wind up CURTAIN MOLLER —~ | the cord so that oA om i the lamp is al- *°Y ways ready and at the same time out of the way. A roller having a strong spring should be used, the wire being attached to it at the center by an insulated _ staple. The cord is then wound on the roller in the man- -s LOIe ner shown. Two aaa wanes tin disks, about 3 ES) dISK— in. in diameter, are fastened to the ends of the roller to prevent the cord from running off. The cord should be fastened only at the cen- ter, and plenty of slack should be left at the wall end of the line. The roller is attached to the wall or ceiling as shown. TAPLE Replacing Axle Assemblies A simple method of replacing or remov- ing an automobile rear-axle assembly makes use of an empty carbide can, which is used as a roller for supporting the unit. By resting the assembly on the drum and pushing forward until the axle is about balanced, it can be moved back or forth as may be necessary, with a minimum of effort. By filling the cavity about the uni- versal joint in its housing with heavy cup grease, the shaft will be held rigid.

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POPULAR An Improvised Attachment Plug Needing an extension line to reach into a corner of the shop that was not wired, and having no attachment plug, an excellent substitute was made from a burnt-out fuse plug. The mica window was dug out, and the ends of the fuse wire were pulled out. A %-in. hole was drilled through the brass Betton of the plug, and one of the wires was inserted through this and soldered to the outside; the other wire was thrust through a simi- hole drilled in the brass shell, where the fuse had been fastened, and soldered. The interior of the plug was then filled with melted sealing wax; plaster of Paris may also be used, but it must be thor- oughly dried out before using, to avoid the possibility of a short circuit. Detachable Clamp for Round Columns The clamp shown in the drawing will repay the cost and trouble of its manu- facture in a multitude of cases where a shelf or tool hold- er is to be tempo- rarily attached to a column or sup- port. The arms are hinged, as _ indi- cated, and the outer ends are drilled to take the 4 stiff spring which Ge holds the device to 3 a support. The | & ro— drawing showsthe | @ iin clamp used in con- G22 nection with a a small table for tools. The holder can be pipes, square or round posts, anything within its capacity. If the inside surfaces of the arms are made rough, a firmer grip will be obtained.

its

attached to ladders, or Mixture for Waterproofing Cement A formula that has been used quite gen- erally and with satisfactory results for waterproofing cement is a solution of lye and alum. Five pounds of powdered alum and 1 Ib. of lye are dissolved in 10 qt. of water. Use 14 pt. of this solution to each bucketful of water used in mixing the cement. For outside waterproofing, add 1% pt. of this mixture to a bucket of water, and thicken with pure cement to the consist- ency of a heavy wash,

MECHANICS

609 Double-End Adjustable Boring Bar A handy boring bar for medium-sized lathes, that is capable of standing up under the heaviest cuts and is rigid and stiff, is made as shown in the drawing. DOUBLE-END HOLES or,’ 24 BAR TOP F shewep BORING alin a YJ —as mie =a oP evox —-f | - = . _— st l—F*= et, &—a SIDE VIEW END VIEW A Double-Ended and Adjustable Boring Bar for Use on Medium-Sized Lathes: It Possesses Extreme Rigidity and will Stand Up under Heavy Cutting A piece of cold-rolled steel, about 15 in. long, is used for the bar, and this has a flat shape on its top to form a seat for the washer and clamping nut. Holes are drilled at 2-in. intervals along the center, to take the cl: umping bolt. Tool slots cut at each end of the bar, one at angles and the other at any desired less than 90°, thus making the double-ended. <A cast-iron or steel V- block, having a tongue to fit into the slot of the compound rest, forms a -support for the bar. _— TIGHTENING BOLT —

are right angle tool A Vest-Pocket Beam Compass The accompanying drawing illustrates a beam compass that is light in weight, and, as it folds into a small space, convenient for the pocket. Two strips of transparent celluloid, ‘42 in. thick, are cut to any de- sired length — and width, both strips b: HOLE FOR PENCIL POINT . ° . meal a¢ ——_ ALUMINUM Lig ing identrcal in Te novaee A size. A nar- « 6 row slot is cut Ab : “ig a LS in each, into “Ke . ye LOT which fit tight Pe SLO 1 Pal ly the small f KL eit intiiiedin aluminum riv- «fy ets shown. iy HOLE FOR PIN POINT Small holes are made at each end, after assembly, and the edges of the strips are marked off in inches, with subdivisions as fine as desired. The method of operation may be clearly seen from the drawing—C. Nye, New York, N. Y. @ Broken spade and shovel handles, cut make seed. down and sharpened at the good “dibbles,” to use in ends, planting

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HE grinding machine, as an au- thority on machine tools has said, is “an exception to the otherwise universal tendency toward deterioration of work- manship, the grinding machine being the only machine tool that produces work of the same quality as its own parts.” To the man in the experimental and similar small shops, the machine described in this article will open a field that has been here- tofore closed, unless he wishes to invest in an expensive commercial machine, or . 4° DRUM ~~ 0" PULLEY eae |. s’PULLEY —— NO EZAL WHEEL PULLEY iy DIAM The Countershaft Arrangement Illustrated Is Merely Sug gestive. Many Modifications Are Possible, Though the Pulley Sizes should be Preserved be content with a makeshift rigged up on a small lathe. This machine is a companion to the miller described on page 449 of the March issue, and, in this design also, the number of castings is kept down to the minimum, standard cold-rolled steel, flat and round, being used wherever possible. Accuracy is the most desirable feature of any grinder, and this can only be at- tained by its having a good wheel head, 610 “By SV Romg§ accurate slides and bearings, and weight correctly placed. The wheel head of this machine is cast, from a simple pattern, in soft gray iron, and machined as shown in the upper right-hand corner of the large drawing. The boss on the bottom is turned to fit the 2-in. pipe column, and the wings are bored an easy push fit for the ball bear- ings used. A hole is drilled and tapped through the bottom, to take the upper end of the clamping screw. The inner edges of the inside races of the bearings butt against the shoulders on the spindle, the outer races being lightly clamped by means of the dust flanges. These flanges are machined as shown, and are fitted with felt rings to exclude the grinding dust. The wheel spindle is turned from cold-rolled steel, and threaded with a right and left-hand screw; the inner wheel flanges are tapped to fit the spindle, the outer ones being a loose fit on it. The spindle pulley is 1% in. in diameter and is grooved for a %%-in. round belt. Any material on hand may be used for the pulley, which should be pinned to the spindle. The main frame of the machine is built up of 2-in. pipe, a 4% by 4-in. cold-rolled steel slide, and a base of %-in. iron plate, the whole being knit together by a casting of cement. The 2-in. pipe forms the column upon which is mounted the wheel head, and on its front face, filed or shaped flat, is fitted the front slide. This pipe screws into the base, the lat- ter being tapped with a standard 2-in. pipe thread; the pipe is bored and faced square at the top to receive the head. The front slide is secured to the pipe by flat- head screws. Care must be taken in as- sembling, to see that the pipe, slide, and base are perfectly square with each other. Holes are drilled and tapped in slide and base, for the 4-in. stove bolts that anchor the assembly to the cement; these bolts are of varying lengths, and may be interwoven with soft-iron wire to provide a better bond with the cement. The mold is made of soft pine; after the anchor bolts are screwed in place, it is put in position and clamped firmly. Fill it with

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POPULAR MECHANICS 611

BALL BEARINGS FRONT SLIDING = BER & RACK WAYS E’R-H. SCREWS —§

+ "ANGLE MEMBERS

JO FIT BEARINGS iv : GROOVES hia FELT —_

24 ad TO FIT PIPE

TE | insiDE RING? ") OUTSIDE RING DUST RINGS va 2 REAM PIVOT HOLE) a ———————— IRON ANGLES F 15 +1 “>——— 4" ae ore ma

+i +> +

B ELEVATING SC

+p 4x} x10"C-R. STEEL x, —_______—_ —— 14" —_ > “FRONT SLIDE 5 C-R STEEL SECTION AB \—-——L CEMENT OR LEAD | : } END VIEW SIDE VIEW DETAIL OF SLIDE 7x7} IRON a, i rat ' r4 SCREWS ——— , wee —— a = =— = —— ; ,- SLOT he eae x -- f *) - i "| WORKTABLE FRONT VIEW fee OF —_ 1. 2 4 iin iil | i ne ? = * SPIRAL YX13 THREADS,LH. ”* $x139 THREADS,RH ) § REAMED HOLE SPRING . ——— i SPINDLE € —_ _ A @)) eins BELT TO XP EMERY WHEEL Garr -——— ANGLE SUPPORT { oe OTA —— PULL KNOB -—— | WORKTABLE TOOL VE. DUST FLAT-HEAD SCRE HARDENED CENTERS RINGS 4 13" — TO FIT PIPE —— i- (Se * > < MOLD The Various Parts of This Grinder are Made of Simple and Easily Obtained Ma- terials. The Design has been Simplified So That Machine Work is Kept Down to the Minimum

ANDWHEEL

BENCH - SHEAD-CLAMPING 6CREW

can

SIDE VIEW

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POPULAR 1 mixture of 1 part cement to 3 parts clean, sharp sand, mixed with water to a juaky consistency, tamping it down well ind poking into every corner and along ach edge with a sharp-pointed tool, to insure that the cement reaches all parts. [To season the cement, keep it well wetted for a week, and the result will be a strong, rigid column, The knee is made of soft gray iron, machined carefully to the dimensions shown; it is carefully fitted to the vertical slide and held by means of members made of angle iron, ‘46 in. thick, fastened to the knee with round-head screws. On the upper face of the knee runs the casting that holds the table slide; this is also made of soft gray iron, and its width is the same as that of the knee face, to which it is also held by angle members. The upper face of this casting is machined it an angle of 30°, and on this face, the niece that forms the ways is fastened, ising flat-head screws. The ways, or shears, are made of a piece of cold-rolled steel, 44 by 4 by 9 in.; it is shaped out in the center as indicated, leaving two nar- row bearing faces The table slide is also a piece of % by 4-in. cold-rolled steel, 14 in. long, the bot- tom being scraped toa perfect bearing on the ways; on its front edge is fastened ; piece of a by l-in. cok l-rolled steel, also scraped to fit on the ways, the upper edge being machined off at a 30° angle. This construction gives the advantages of a V-bed, without the difficulty encountered n machining that type. This front piece must be fitted ac- -urately, and fastened securely, as it car- ‘ies most of the weight of the table as- sembly and work. On the lower edge of the front slide is mounted a fine-pitch rack, which, with a small pinion to match, can be purchased from any machinery- upply house. MECHANICS On the table slide are fastened three angular pieces of cast iron, the tops of which are exactly in line, and on these pieces is mounted the worktable, built up as shown in the detail, of flat steel. The vorktable pivots on a stud working in the center cast-iron support, and is clamped in position by cap screws tapped into the end supports. The sfot in the table will accommodate %-in. bolts. Between the supports, anchor bolts similar to those used in the column are placed, and the spaces are filled with lead or cement to a level slightly below the upper edges of the supports; this in- creases the weight of the slide. After assembling this unit, the table is squared with an indicator, and zero lines are scribed on the worktable and end supports. The construction of the ter heads may be easily drawing; the bodies are made of 1%-in. pipe, the heads being castings, turned to fit into the bored pipes. A grooved pulley, 2 in. in diameter, is fitted to the fast center, and is held in position, when running, by the V-pointed setscrew in the groove in the center. The setscrew should be fitted with a locknut. The countershaft arrangement needs but little description, as the smaller draw- ing shows it very clearly. The height is optional, as it must be governed by con- ditions existing in the shop. By raising it high enough, it will be possible to swing the head through 90°, thus bring- ing the wheel over the table, and adapt- swiveling cen- seen from the ing it to surface grinding. The rear countershaft should run at about 540 r.p.m., the front one at 108 r.p.m., and the wheel at from 3,500 to 3,800 r.p.m., 4-in. wheels of various shapes being use d. If any difficulty is experienced in pro- curing th small handwheels, wheels taken from valves can be substituted. Building Concrete Silos When constructing a silo, the concrete hould be well spaded next to the form faces, so that the coarse-pebble aggregate vill be worked away from the face, and the sand-cement mortar come in contact with the form surface. If pockets form n the surface as a result of air bubbles, xr because some particles of the coarse urgregate were not forced back, they may “pointed up” with a rich cement mor- tar, and gone over with a grout paint wherever necessary, while the concrete is still “green.” Engine Stand Made of Old Tire Rims Two old automobile-wheel rims of uni form diameter, and two short lengths of light steel rail, make a good stand for holding an automobile motor while work- ing on it. The two pieces of rail, which should be about 4 ft. long, are riveted at right angles to the rims, and diametrically opposite each other. The engine is at- tached to the rails, and the whole stand can then be rolled along like a cart, so that the engine may be tilted to any de- sired angle—Edward J. Calhoun, Chi- cago, III.

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A Curved Vise Block When relining brake bands or removing lents from fenders, a vise block having a curved surface is a valuable shop accessory. A piece of large-diameter steel shafting, of the proper length to fit between the of the vise, is obtained; slots are iilled in each end to fit over the vise iaws, so that the block cannot work loose, or drop out of the vise—Lowell R. Butcher, Newton, la. 1aws Removing Broken Taps \nyone who has used a tap knows the ituation that arises when a little addi- onal force causes the tap to break off flush with the top Sag STEEL IPE of the hole. The S drawing shows a simple tool, that can be made from

a piece of steel tubing, for backing 62 \ out the broken Y. : : if s, piece. The tubing Ve is bent at one end and slotted to en- ter the flutes in the tap, with either three or four slots to fit the particular tap. Another method of removing a broken tap, which requires no special tool, con- ists in striking against the sides of the tap flutes with a punch. BROKEN TAP Conserving Oil on Lathes The drawing shows how a pair of stand- ard oil cups were rigged up on a lathe so that the machine would be lubricated utomatically, without wasting oil. The feed levers of the cups were slotted to take the links connected to the bell crank at the right. The post which supports the system of bell cranks is a stiff steel rod, fitting into a tapped hole in the front headstock-bearing cap. A locknut pre- vents the post from turning. The upper rod, that is connected to the shipper lever, is threaded for part of its length and provided with two sets of lock- nuts and two springs, as shown, the springs absorbing shocks that would otherwise strain the oil cups. A _ stud, having a hole large enough to permit the rod to slide through it freely, is mounted on the shipper lever. As the operator moves the lever to throw on the power, the system of cranks and links acts so as to bring the feed levers on the tops of the oil cups to the POPULAR MECHANICS 613 “on” position, permitting the oil to flow into the bearings. When the lever is shifted to throw off the power, the flow of THREADED ROD — _ o> aetneneen':, -nimiy Eine ea BELL CRANKS — 4 a LINKS | Janu SNAP-LEVER OILERS SPRINGS

WY SHIPPER LEVER? — “ea. CLAMP HOLDING BANDS failure to re WHILE REPLACING COVER move all the a particles of string will sometimes re-

sult in clog- [— ; ging the oil- feed tube, with the attendant risk of damage to the engine. is made of 3-in. steel rod, bent as shown, and may be slid through the handhole in the case, after the cover is bolted on The clamp @A coarse-tooth mill should be used for removing much stock and for taking roughing cuts on milling machines.

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POPULAR Locking an Exposed Valve Where a cock is located at an exposed place, as on an oil, gasoline, or other pipe line, and it is desired to pre- vent unwarrant- ed use or theft, the simple and inexpensive lock shown in the drawing can be applied either as a tem- porary or per- manent fixture. As indicated, an ordinary hasp and lock plate are riveted on the pipe on a line with the cock handle in the closed posi- tion, the cock being secured against oper- ation by an ordinary padlock. Pipe ~ Finding Length of Rolled Belts To find the number of feet of belting in a roll without unrolling it, add to the di- ameter of the roll, in inches, the diameter of the hole at the center. Multiply this sum by the number of coils or layers of belting and multiply the product obtained by 1.32. The three figures at the left of the resulting product will represent very closely the number of feet in the roll. Cutting Racks on a Shaper By using a shaper instead of a milling machine for cutting racks it is not only possible to cut a rack almost as fast as on a miller, but racks longer than the capacity of the milling machine can be made by this method. As shown inthe draw- ing, an involute- gear cutter is held in the shaper tool holder at right an- gles to the work, and a pawl is pro- vided for using a TOOL HOLDER single tooth at a time, so that when one of the cutting teeth becomes dull, another can be used: MECHANICS Correcting Blueprints Legible and permanent markings on blueprints are readily made by attaching gummed stickers, such as are used on packages and boxes for price and identi fication markings. Marks of black or colored pencils can be seen on the print only by careful inspection, but when the stickers are placed on the blueprint, any records or changes are conspicuous enough to prevent error in the shop or drafting room. Salvaging a Cracked Reamer A large-sized reamer, which was to be used on a rush job, cracked in three places during hardening, the _ cracks being parallel with the flutes. Rather than suffer the delay of making a new reamer, it was decided to re- pair it. Light, strong wire was wrapped around the cracked por- tion to prevent further open- ing of the cracks, and the end of the reamer was then ground down to a diameter slightly less than the root diameter of the flutes. A steel collar was made and shrunk onto the ground seat. The temper was then drawn and the reamer ground to size. The repair was entirely successful. END VIEWS, SHOWING CRACKS IN REAMER Drafting-Room Short Cuts In laying out complicated cam or link motions, the different parts can be drawn on scraps of tgacing cloth. Parts which revolve or swing on fixed centers, such as cams, or the fulcrum points of levers, are held to the layout by pins through their centers so that they will revolve or swirg. Links and similar parts are held together with thumbtacks with the points up. If the pieces give trouble by coming off the tacks, small corks may be stuck over the points. This method has some advantages over cutting out the pieces, as it is much easier to make minor changes if the mo- tion is not correct. Another drafting-room kink which de- serves a wider application is used in mak- ing layouts for the installation of machin-

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POPULAR MECHANICS ery. The floor plan is first drawn, to show the location of all posts and other perma- nent obstructions, and paper templates of the different machines are drawn to scale, cut out, and arranged until the best possi- ble layout is obtained. Then cover this with a piece of tracing cloth, dull side up, and draw the ceiling plan, showing the lineshafts, countershafts, belts, etc. If any of these are found to interfere, the machines can be rearranged to suit. If a piping layout is desired, this is drawn on another sheet of tracing cloth over the floor or ceiling plan, or both, as may be necessary, while still another to show the electric wiring may be made. When the templates on the floor plan have been arranged to suit, everything is in readiness to make a tracing by drawing around them. Using a set of tracings made in this manner, the clearance at any point may be checked by placing one trac- ing over another. At the same time the blueprints for different workmen will be clear, and not confused with the lines used in another branch of the work.—R. PP, Deane, Holyoke, Mass. A Simple Can-Soldering Machine Having a number of cans to solder, and the operators not being familiar with the use of the soldering iron, the simple ma- chine illustrated was built, performing very satisfac- torily. The iron itself, an electric one, is held vertically SPRINGS in a wooden or fiber clamp, which swings laterally on a pe lat, ta post fastened (C ee 4 eS to the back of ig: Ses S th. the wooden GEARS Ss" - baseboard. a pe The cans are slipped into a clamp com- ; posed of four spring-steel clips, mounted on a wooden disk, which, in turn, is attached to a bevel wheel, journaled through the base. A handle, on the end of which is a small bevel pinion meshing with the larger gear, provides means for rotating the cans un- der the bit. With inexperienced help, this speeds up the soldering operation consid- erably, while doing away with the proba- bility of burns, due to careless handling of the soldering iron—Otto Dorthen, Stillwater, Minn. SOLDERING |1RON SWINGING ‘af ARM 615 Piping System for Gear Pumps The gear pump insures an ample flow of water to the water jackets of a marine engine—if primed. Some small boats, not {~}— outer i: £ j eae CLOSED Any Gear-Driven Pump can be Made to Produce a One-Directional Flow Regardless of Whether the Pump is being Driven Backward or Forward, Thus Eliminating the Necessity of Frequent Priming equipped with a gear for the purpose, reverse the engine when backing into or out of a dock, although this practice is not good for the engine; and in such cases the pump immediately empties the water jacket and itself. The same con- dition obtains in the lubricating system of some of the large Diesel-engined freighters. This is also true in the case of turret lathes and automatic screw ma chines equipped with a gear pump sup- plying cooling fluid. When the machine is reversed to run the die off a thread, the pump runs dry, and not being air-tight fails to start a flow without priming. The drawing shows an arrangement of check valves that was improvised to meet the conditions described, and to give a one-directional flow of liquid, no matte in what direction the pump runs, Aftet the pump has once been primed, furthe: priming is unnecessary. Standard check valves should be used, and installed as shown, to regulate the flow of the pump according to the arrows. @ Grease in contact witl pressure may cause spontaneous ignition. Great care should be used not to handle threads or valves on oxygen tanks with oily hands or gloves, and gauges should not be tested with oil or any other haz- ardous carbon. If a lubricant must be used, only pure glycerin is permissible. oxygen under

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616 POPULAR Revolving Planer Tool A planer tool, that of taking very heavy was found capable roughing cuts, was follows: bar was that one face formed = an

each ill pulley runs, the droplight. moved so as to portion of Philadelp! ia Pa. Old Pistons as Shaft Hangers Old automobile-engine pistons can be made into shaft hangers for line or coun- tershafts used to drive small grinders, sensitive drills, and similar machines, where the load is not too heavy. The pistons selected should be as large as possible, and the wrist-pin bearings, or bushings, should be in good condition. The shaft must be turned to the same di- ameter as the bushings. Two holes are drilled through the head of each piston to take the lag screws used to fasten it to the wall, floor, or ceiling. The shaft is locked in place by means of collars placed between the wrist-pin bosses, and fastened with setscrews. The bosses may be drilled for oil holes, or drilled and tapped to take grease cups.

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POPULAR MECHANICS Preventing Fence Posts from Heaving To prevent fence posts from heaving after a thaw, dig the post hole about 8 or 10 in. deeper than usual, and fill the extra space with broken stones or clinkers; hen place the post in position. At oppo- site sides, ordinary rough l-in. boards are set against the post, and the hole is filled with earth. If there is any tendency toward heaving, the boards will rise, the post remaining stationary. The boards can be driven back into position with a maul as soon as the frost is out of the ground. This method can be used for either round or square posts. Prolonging Life of Gas Mantles Upright gas mantles, that have become broken and ragged around the bottom, can be given a new lease of life very simply. Place a hatpin underneath the loop at the top of the mantle, and care- fully remove it from its support. A short piece is cut or snapped from the lower end of the support, while an assistant holds the mantle. The mantle is then re- placed so that the broken part comes be- low the top of the burner. A Threadless Stud When installing some heavy machinery, it became necessary to fasten parts to the heavy metal base by means of studs. The studs were of large diameter, and no bot- tom tap of the size was to be had. To get around the dif- ficulty, a bolt was } turned up with a} tapered head, some- | what resembling a | plow bolt. A bush- | ing, the inside di- | ameter of which | was a sliding fit on the body of the bolt, was also turned down on the lathe. One end of the bushing was beveled off at an angle corresponding to that of the bolt head, and four slots, 90° apart, were sawed in it, as shown. The bolt and bushing were assembled and placed in the hole in the base. As the nut was tightened the bolt head was drawn up into the bushing, expanding it and clamping it tightly in the base. If the bolt has a tendency to turn when the nut is being tightened it may be doweled to fit the base at the bottom of the hole. Cotter Pin Used as Ruling Pen A %-in. cotter pin, about 2 in. long, and the nut from a dry-cell terminal can be used to make a serviceable ruling pen. The points of the pin are filed off to a round, tapering point, with the inside of the points perfectly flat; the points must both be of the same length and size. The sides of the cotter are bowed outward, at the center, so that the points will spring about 4% in. apart. The drycell terminal nut is slid over the pin and by moving it nearer or farther from the point the width of the line is varied. If desired, a thread to fit the nut may be cut on the cotter pin, thus making the adjustment secure against possibilitiy of slipping. A Compact Container for Small Parts A singularly compact container for such small stock as screws, nuts, bolts, and the like, for the shop or store, can be easily made by the worker in sheet metal. Seven flat trays, each slightly tapering toward the top, and 3 in. deep, are divided into sections, making, with the round shelf at the top, 50 different com- partments, the entire con- tainer is 3 ft. high and occu- pies a square foot of floor or counter space. The trays are made with the sides cut and_ soldered, so that the entire series will taper from 1 ft. at the bottom to 9 in. at the top. The center of each tray is made hollow by soldering a cylinder of sheet metal to the bottom; this cylin der also serves as a support to which the inner ends of the partitions separating seven

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618 POPULAR the compartments are soldered. The hole at the center is bushed with a hard- wood plug which is drilled to fit the 14-in. rod on which the container is mounted. Washers are placed between the indi- vidual trays to provide sufficient clear- ance. One section of each tray is cut out, access to the different compartments be- ing obtained through these openings by turning the trays. The vertical shaft is screwed into a floor flange, which may be permanently attached to the counter, or fastened to a suitable wooden base, so that the device can be moved about. Straightening and Bending Fixture In the repair shop or garage, a straightening or bending fixture can be frequently used to advantage, particularly for such work SECTION OF HEAVY as taking the s g € I -BEAM : et kinks out of acir 10 Ys axles, con- ENS ee necting rods, a, A and other parts of an automobile. The base of Way jl the fixture is SS eV \ a section of ENS Hi PINS }) SS A heavy I-beam. waco f The flange of BLOCK 41 the beam is bushed to take 6SECTION SHOWING mia ag Seanae ¥ -taaent @ the screw, as ON END OF SCREW shown, and the beam is bolted over a wooden block to a bench. A pivoted V-block for the end of the screw is used to keep the pressure central, suitable blocks being provided at each end of the beam to support the work. Removing Automobile Engines To remove the engine from an automo- bile single-handed, without the aid of a pulley or hoist of some sort, is difficult, but if a jack and piece of rope are avail- able it can be easily done. The rope is first securely tied to an overhead beam and the car is pushed underneath this point. The front of the car is then jacked up about a foot and the lower end of the rope is securely lashed to the engine. By lowering the car and rolling it out of the way, a bench can be slid underneath the engine. Replacement of the engine in the chassis is accomplished in a similar man- ner.—G, A. Luers, Washington, D. C. MECHANICS Making Large Letters on Signs Amateur sign writers often experience difficulty in making large signs on account of their inability properly to space the words and letters on a large scale, to ob- tain the best effect. If one undertakes to outline large letters directly upon the surface, the erasure and spacing marks will prove confusing when trying to follow the letter margins with the brush. It is best in such instances to map out the sign on heavy paper, making the necessary corrections with a pencil, and then go over the outlines of the char- acters with a dressmakers’ tracing wheel; this will produce a perforated pattern which can be laid upon the surface on which the sign is to be painted. The out- line is transterred to the sign surface by using a pouncing bag, which is merely a cloth bag filled with finely powdered graphite, charcoal, or French chalk, ac- cording to whether it is desired to trans- fer the design in white or black. The pouncing bag is lightly pounded along the perforated lines, so that sufficient of the powder will sift through the perforations to leave an outline on the board or surface to be painted that can be easily followed with the brush. Should the sign be larger than the paper at hand, the copy may be made in sections, if care is used in plac- ing them in their relative positions before pouncing. Eliminating Sewer Gas from Water Tanks A simple and inexpensive method of protecting water tanks against the en- trance of sewer gas, without the use of the customary trap, is shown in the drawing. At the point where the customary flange connection is made, a deep-shouldered flange is fastened, into which screws the removable i overflow pipe,the length of this pipe de- WATER LEVEL REMOVABLE = ERFLOW PIPE L | “| {rrance termining the water | iheto sewer level in the tank. A VAI bell-shaped cap, with a fairly long skirt, which can be made of sheet metal, makes an effective seal against the gas. The cap is held in place by short strips of metal sol- dered or riveted to it and bent at their inner ends to fit over the pipe, to which they are fastened.—L. H. Georger, Buf- falo, N. Y.

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POPULAR Neutralizing Sulphuric Acid When the electrolyte from a storage battery, or undiluted sulphuric acid, which is used in making the electrolyte, is spilled on any clothing, it will burn a hole entirely through the fabric unless its ac- tion is promptly arrested. Ammonia will neutralize sulphuric acid, and for that reason a bottle of household ammonia should be kept handy when working with storage batteries. The am- monia is simply poured over the acid spots. Getting a Firmer Grip on the Screwdriver There are times when it is impossible to obtain sufficient grip on a screwdriver to back out a WITH THE PROVJECTIONS WITH THE PROJECTION: rusted screw May BE USEO TOSETTHE QOTf start a SCREW UP SOLID ) burred thread, 7 HAND GRIP | as when turn- =a ; "| ing screws into | hardwood, for | instance, and on other occa- sions. By tak- ing a long- \-’"Sa.} bladed screw- i —sZ driver and l oS oe) bending it into the shape shown, a gripping surface is provided that can be used by the idle hand or, in ex- treme cases, with a wrench, as indicated. Improvised Letter and Figure Dies Some time back I needed a set of letter and figure-stamping dies, and found that commercial ones were not [ ™mw J] obtainable | (NO without con- | ~ siderable de- | O34 ~ lay. In the | é.' emergency I made up four dies that will make any let- ter or figure. Ane The charac- A [3 Ly > |- nN: SD i ee the individual dies consisted of a long and a short straight line, a small circle, and a crescent slightly less than a half circle. By combining the marks made by the separate punches, it is possible to form the letters and figures as shown.—W. F. Boast, Casper, Wyo. MECHANICS 619 Concrete Support for Emery Grinder When an emery grinder is to remain permanently in one location, it can be mounted to advantage on standard, as shown in the photograph. The support shown is sunk 3 ft. below the sur- face, and is built to a convenient height. Scrap lumber was used for the form, the pieces being cut to fit and held in place by cleats on the outside and nails at the cor- ners; pieces of iron rod and wire- mesh netting were used for reinfore- ing. The concrete should be mixed to a quaky consist- ency and should be well tamped down.— Dale R. Van Horn, Lincoln, Nebraska. a concrete Converting a Timer Roller into Sliding Contact The brush roller on the light automobile can be improved by securing the hardened steel roller in the timer in such a manner that it will slide, or wipe, across the con tact seats instead of revolving. As com monly experienced with timers of this type, the path of the roller becomes humpy and wavy in time; this. condition causes imperfect contact and consequent irregu lar ignition. Another difficulty, experi- enced when starting in cold weather, is due to oil and dirt rolling down on the seat and holding the brush out of contact To convert the roller brush into a slid- ing contact is a simple operation. The roller is prevented from turning in it bracket by means of a 44 or *e-in. stov bolt, inserted between the roller and bracket. This is screwed down tight jamming the roller so that it cannot turn. With this sliding contact, a wavy and irregular timer seat will gradually true itself, and any dirt or grease on the seat will be cleaned off by the scraping action of the contact. Starting will be easier on account of the more positive contact and regular firing of the cylinders. A fresh contact may be obtained when necessary by loosening the screw and turning the roller so that a new surface is exposed.

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A Draftsman’s Lettering Guide As an aid in drawing the alphabet used by its students in dratting and engineer- , a ing, a mid- / /}// unl- /}/; ? Ty fa , 7 / |} western Y/ i} | versity has 1/ / | distributed / | printed forms / / similar to that / shown in the | /) / drawing. The form contains a series of parallel lines at the proper angle of 72°

abcdefghijklmnoparstu 12345 vwxyyz 67890 ABCDEFGHISKLMN

OPQORSTUVWXYZ yey spaced 4 in. L =. apart. When a lettering, the student places the printed form immedi- ately below the drawing, and is thus able, with the aid of the parallel lines, to keep the letters inclined uniformly. The form also contains a sample alphabet of both upper and lower-case letters, and a full set of numerals. Brazing High-Speed Steel Tips to Soft-Steel Shanks The mechanic in the small shop is usually obliged to content himself with the ordinary carbon tool steel for lathe tools, etc., due to the cost of high-speed steel, and his attempts to weld high-speed tips to soft-steel shanks do not always prove successful. It is, however, per- fectly feasible to secure a good union be- tween the two by means of brazing. Cut the nose of the shank to the shape shown in Fig. 1, which is a side view. The nose and sides should be ground to the same taper as the intended clearance on the tool. Bevel the back end of the high-speed steel tip to the same angle as the cut in the shank, and allow the tip to project about “ein. in front and about 4g in. on each side of the shank. Cut a piece of %2-in. sheet copper slightly longer than the length of the bottom and beveled end of the tip, and slightly wider >

f

POPULAR MECHANICS than the shank, and polish copper, tip, and shank; then coat liberally with borax. Tie the tip tightly in position with wire, the copper being placed between tip and shank, as shown in Fig. 2, and heat over a clear fire, or in the gas forge, until the tip is at a white heat, or near it, being guided in this by the steel maker’s direc- tions. Quickly hammer the front end of the tip so as to force it into its seat, then give the top a couple of moderately heavy blows. Quench the tool as directed by the makers, and grind to shape. Figure 3 shows the completed tool.—W. S. Standi- ford, Youngstown, Ohio. An Improved Angle Plate and Clamp Angle plates remain pretty much as they have been since the first one was originated, and machinists from that time to the present have o WORK -Vv : ‘ ° been up against - CLAMP ‘

>) the annoyance of alll having their 4 pate Clamps slip off the KIA flat surface with oN resulting damage em esuiting cdamage ek , to tools and tem- 4 per. The drawing a shows an angle ee plate that has a number of V-shaped grooves cast in the back of the plate, parallel with the top and sides; the clamp screw used with this angle plate is provided with a taper- ing swivel block which fits into the grooves of the plate and prevents shiift- ing.—M. E. Duggan, Kenosha, Wis. “Burning In” Engine Bearings Scraping crankshaft and connecting-rod bearings is a long and tedious process, requiring much labor and skill if a perfect job is to be produced. The most expedi- tious method, if a lathe is handy, is to burn the bearings in. This operation con- ists in removing shims from the bearing caps, or filing the cap down, drawing the cap bolts up tight, without placing lubricant between the bearing and its shaft. The surface should be wiped dry of any oil before the cap is screwed up. The crankshaft bearings should be “burnt in” or “run in” first. Place the motor block in the lathe ways, blocking it up and securing it so that the flywheel can be bolted to the lathe face- plate. Start the lathe, throwing in the back gear and reducing the speed, if neces- sary, to obtain sufficient power to turn anv

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POPULAR the crankshaft. The bearings will squeal and get smoking hot, but no oil or water should be applied to them; this is essen- tial to the burning-in process. The inner surface of the babbitt actually flows around the bearing and the surplus is pushed out at the edges. After 10 or 15 minutes of running at comparatively high speed, the lathe can be stopped. Do not loosen the caps after the burn- ing in, as this disturbs the seat. Next, tighten the connecting-rod caps in the same manner, without oil, and drive these, applying a little oil to the shaft bearings which have already been fitted. It will be found that bearings treated in this manner have the greatest obtain- able area, and the bearing obtained is much more accurate than those fitted by handscraping. Camp Hanger from Old Belt The camp hanger, shown in the draw- ing, is easily made by attaching hooks to an old leather belt. The hooks are made of stout wire and fastened to the belt by punching holes at intervals of 3 or 4 in. along itslength. The wires are then run through the holes and bent over the top from the back side. This hanger is simply strapped to a convenient tree and will be found quite a con- venience for hanging clothing and utensils used around the camp.

Prolonging Life of Elevator Belts A method that more than doubles the life of elevator belts consists in applying strips of old belting between the buckets and belt. Old belting is cut into strips, about 154 in. wide and 5 in. long, and a hole is punched at each end, through which the bucket bolts pass. Three or four of these strips, depending on the number of bolts used, are inserted behind each bucket. The leather strips prevent cracking of the belt along the line of the upper bucket edge. When the belt be- gins to show wear, the buckets are all set in new positions; this operation may be repeated several times.—Franklin R. Mun- dorff, Kansas City, Mo. MECHANICS 621 Threading Plugs in a Drill Press Having an order for a large number of threaded plugs, the management of a shop was “up against it” to find a rapid and economical method of doing the work until the fixture shown in the drawing was developed; this was bolted to the table of a_ back- geared drill press. A thread-cutting die of the proper size was mounted as indicated, and a square shank was fitted into the drill spindle, to fit | the openings in the plugs. The blank plugs were inserted at the top of the fixture, and the square shank was brought to bear in the hole, pressure on the feed lever of the machine being used to run the plugs through the die; the threaded plugs dropped into the opening in the base of the fixture, in which a slot was provided for their removal.—J. H. Moore, Toronto, Can.

a | my | } TYPE OF PLUGS TO BE THREADED

1s DRILL- press >/ TABL A Handle for Storage Batteries The common method of carrying stor-

age batteries requires the use of both hands and in- volves the risk BROOM HaNoLE — ; £ 4 : i's SLOT } of spilling (" Ts : | aBov - < acid on the -4 — ¥ clothing. The eE = ( : . te } accompany- S10 etl y 2 ing sketch 90° Twist 4 shows how an easily made grip, or han- dle, can be fg made from va flat cold- 4 « rolled steel and a piece of round wood. Using a han- dle of this character, it 1s a battery comfortably with one hand, and it also prevents the possibility of mashed or bruised fingers when inserting or withdrawing the battery from its box or possible to carry cradle. The handle slots are long enough to allow the hooks to swing inward.—C. Nye, Bronx, N. Y.

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622 POPULAR Forming Armature Coils Many electricians are puzzled when it comes to forming an armature coil that will look well on the armature and still go into the slots easily. The methods illustrated in most books involve too much work, or the use of expensive formers. The method described here is one that has proved its value in practice. - —— Tr itt | —~ Wr Wik 1//,/4 t We. SLOT TO FIT OVER COILS STOP BLOCK BLOCKS NAILED > TO BENCH SS Armature A Forming Tool for Uniformly Spreading and Stator Coils: A Piece of Board and a Few Blocks Are the Only Materials t to Make It Needed Straighten into a loop one of the old from the armature or stator. Lay it on a board and drive a spike inside each end. Remove the coil and wind a loop from new wire, laying on the in the same manner as in the old coil. Tape the loop to keep it from loosening, and it is ready for forming. The simple forming tool is made from a piece of board, the width of the arma- nailed across coils urns ture core. Two blocks are one end to form a slot into which one side of the new coil should fit snugly enough to prevent ea liding. Two similar blocks are nailed to the edge of a table or bench, as shown in the drawing. The distance between the outer edge of the slot in the tool and that on the table should be equal to the span of the coil. Mark the position of the outer block on the table or bench, and nail a stop block to the end of the board. To use the forming tool, place one side of the loop or newly wound coil in the slot between the blocks on the board, and the other side in the slot on the bench, leaving the stop end of the former projecting over the edge of the bench. Grasp the ends of the loop firmly with the forefinger and thumb of each hand and, with the body, push the former for- ward, until the stop prevents further spreading of the coil. All the coils are spread in this manner and then each end MECHANICS is placed over the edge of the bench and bent a trifle to conform to the curve of the armature neck, Care should be ob- served to have the leads of all the coils to the left or right, as the winding may require, otherwise some of the coils will be uesless—Edwin M. Love, Alhambra, California. Clamping Pieces for Welding The oxyacetylene process of welding broken metal parts requires that the broken pieces be held together in their proper position. This is simple if the parts are of such shape as to make clamp- ing easy. Some parts, however, are very irregular, and much time is spent trying to adjust the clamps. A very convenient accessory for this purpose is a box of molding sand, about 2 ft. square by 1 ft. deep. The fractured edges of the part to be welded are beveled or scarfed, and the separate pieces are pressed into their proper relative positions in the sand. Welding the fracture with melted metal is then a simple matter, and the pieces are little likely to warp. Screens Made of Old Shutters The old-fashioned Venetian blinds can be easily made into fly screens. A saw is run along the sides of the slats, which are then removed. Over the frames thus ob- tained is stretched wire mesh, the raw edges of which are concealed under strips of quarter-round molding—Lewis Ed- wards, New York Mills, N. Y. An Adjustable Angle Plate The angle plate shown in the drawing differs from the fixed angle commonly used, in that it can be ad- justed to meet varying re- quirements. Holes are pro- vided in both end members of the base, and a pin, having a knurled head, is inserted in- py to the hole, giving the de- sired angle. This plate can be used on any class of drilling or boring work, and is a valuable timesaver. ee / L ANGLE PLATE

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ce Fen ll Information as to where to obtain any specified {i | materials or parts for makin ii the following pages may from our Bureau of Information.—Editor. USAT IOATSTTTTNTTNTOITIT TAT ; I] ini A mm ih H Tau ti Hi Kee a iit YON | Late eur, nies) anit nel 7 Hy i Sin) Hh objects described in }}) vai bil e had, on request, — A Roller Track for Canoes BY CURTIS RALSTON CANOE stairway from its clubhouse leading club has built a cement down to the landing. The center of the stairway is provided with a roller track which does away with all the hard work of moving a canoe to or from the water’s edge. The rollers are set at such a height above the cement steps that it is easy for a person, walking on either side, to push the boat along the rollers, either upward or downward. Mortises on the inner edges of the steps were made by inserting wooden blocks into the forms before the concrete was poured, and it is into these that the roller assemblies are inserted so that they can be easily removed. The bottom cross- piece, which may be ordinary 2 by 4-in. material, fits into the slots in the steps and supports the vertical roller supports, which are of l-in. iron pipe. The wooden rollers are about 21% in. in di- ameter and are held in place with *%-in. axles. running in holes drilled in the upper ends of the pipes. The topmost and the lowest rollers are elevated but a slight dis- tance above the concrete work, and their supports are imbedded in the ce- ment. An alternative arrange- ment that may be used in the construction of a roller track of this kind, is to imbed the roller sup- ports in the concrete be- fore it has set. This meth- od is very ’ substantial, but, should any of the supports become broken or should their presence be unde- sirable, they could not be replaced or re- moved without considerable work. This, however, is the simplest method, and if permanence is sought, is to be preferred, particularly if the iron roller supports are made of 114 or 2-in. pipe. In this case it is best to cut the pipes to length and set them into the wet concrete to the proper depth, as sawing off the pipes to length afterward involves considerable work, The entire mounting of the rollers can be done after the cement has set. After cut- ting the rollers to length, both ends are drilled for the axles, and holes are drilled through the pipes at the points previously marked with a punch, the axles being driven into place through the holes in the A Roller Track, Built by a Canoe Club in the Center of a Stairway, Removes Most of the Effort in Moving the Members’ Boats to and from the Water By making the steps in two sec post. yO S tions, the labor and material cost of build ing them the entire width is considerably same set of forms can be sections by taking them apart carefully after the concrete has hardened. The exposed surface is fin- ished off smooth with a mixture of l part cement and 2 parts sand. reduced. The used for both

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624 POPULAR Tool for Skinning Fish Skinning fish is a difficult and disagree- able job and scaling is also an unpleasant task, but the skinning is simplified, and scaling eliminated, by using the simple ‘ol a 7 —P} = : rr rot rd k 3° » \ 4 : SCREWEVE 34° WIRE BRADS A Simple Tool Fish without Scaling, for Skinning the Necessity of is Made from a Round fardwood Stick _ anda Few %-Inch hy, : Brads — 5 — » ~ « . i tool shown in the drawing. This tool may be made from A Zz a piece of round hard — wood, provided with a handle at one end, brads being driven through the stick so that their points pro- ject about 4% in. The skin is slit along the back and belly, and a cut is made with the point of a sharp knife directly be hin d the gills. Start the skin back from behind the gill eno h to get the projectit y points of the brads caught in it, then turn the stick, and the skin will be wrapped around it, until the tail is reached, when it is cut of The opposite side is then skinned in the same manner. Should the flesh begin to tear away with the skin, scrape the knife between the two, and the come away whole Boothbay, Me. Easily Handled Clothesline By attaching harness snaps to the ends of the clothesline and providing the posts, or other supports to which the line is at- tached, with rings, as shown in the drawing, the line may be easily stretched and tak- en down without the necessity of tying and untying knots. This idea is of particular value, because, when a shower comes up sudden- ly, or when the clothes have frozen to the line, one end can be loosened and both clothes and line taken into the house by rolling them into a bundle as they are taken down. skin will East —J. A. Stevens SNAP HOOK MECHANICS Killing Weeds with Nitric Acid To kill weeds in a lawn and at the same time grow grass by the application of nitric acid appears contradictory to all reason, but the practicability of the method has been successfully demon- strated by a chemist who is given to agri culture in a scientific sense. All trash and litter was raked up from the area to be treated, which also served to slightly loosen the soil. A 5-per-cent solution of nitric acid and water was liberally applied by using an ordinary sprinkling can. After the acid solution had been per- mitted to stand for about half an hour, the treated spot was sprinkled with water from the ho e; this served to drive the acid through and under the gra roots. Then the car spot was sprinkled with sodium bonate, which was cattered broad- it, and a cas second application of water was given to wash it into the ground and neutralize what acid was left about the roots. This treatment left the earth bare of vegetation within the limits of its ap a short time the grass plication. reappeared and grew with added vigor, but the weeds were missing. Explanation of the treatment is simple; the nitric-acid solution had at once kille d everything above ground and wiped out the weed roots close to the surface, and 08 water carried the surplus down gh the soil below the grass roots, done. Then the was sprinkled W oe re no harm would be sodium carbonate, which on, neutralized the action of any remain- ing acid, and this reaction formed sodium nitrate, a common chemical fertilizer, which was washed into the grass roots by the second application of water. Making Whitewashes Ordinary whitewash is made by slaking 10 lb. of quicklime in 2 gal. of water. The lime is placed in a pail, the water added, and the bucket covered with a piece of old carpet, or an old bag, and allowed to stand for about an hour; the whitewash is then ready for application. For exterior use, a weatherproof lime- wash is made by slaking 1 bu. (62 Ib.) of quicklime in 15 gal. of water. A solution consisting of 2 lb. of ordinary salt and 1 lb. of zine sulphate, dissolved in 2 gal. of boiling water, is prepared, and 2 gal. of skim milk is provided. The salt and zinc- sulphate solution is added to the lime and water, the skim milk being put in last. A whitewash used by the government, in the lighthouse service, is made by slak-

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POPULAR ng 1 bu. of lime in 12 gal. of water. Ina sepi arate container, dissolve 12 lb. of rock salt in 6 gal. of water. The salt solution is poured into the lime and water mix- ture, and 6 lb. of Portland cement is .dded and thoroughly stirred. Alum added to whitewash will prevent it from rubbing off, the proper propor- tion being about 1 oz. of powdered alum to each gallon of whitewash. Molasses makes the lime more soluble, and causes it to penetrate absorbent surfaces to which it is applied. A pound of cheap bar soap dissolved in 1 gal. of boiling water and added to about 5 gal. of thick whitewash, will give it a gloss. Clothespin Makes Shade-Roller Wrench the spring in a becomes loose, When roll r window-shade it is rather hard on the fingers to at- tempt to tighten it without a tool. In such a case, a com- mon clothespin makes a practical wrench, and one always available. As shown in the draw- ing, the cleft in the clothespin is placed “« CLOTHESPIN | over the ratchet \ WINDOW SHADE end, and the pin is rotated until the spring is rewound to the proper tension, and the ratchet set. A Caricature Pantograph A simple little device that will afford endless amusement to the youngsters, and to the elders also, is the caricature panto- graph illustrated. For the base, a piece of soft wood, about 18 in. square, is selected. The tracer and pivot arms may also be of soft wood, and should be about 10 in. long. The turntable should be laid out on a piece of thin soft wood, and eight equi- distant holes, about 4% in. in diameter, drilled around the line marking the cir- cumference. The table is then cut out, leaving eight semicircular notches on the perip hery, as shown. The turntable being mounted on the base with a flat-head screw, countersunk flush, a 14-in. hole is drilled in the base, in line with one of the notches in the table, and a peg fitted. This holds the table firmly. At the front of the baseboard, five holes are drilled to fit the pin on which the pivot arm swings. These holes are laid out on a 10-in, arc. or MECHANICS O25 3efore screwing down the pivot arm, place one or two small washers between it and the tracer arm, and between pivot TURNTABLE — y TRACER ARM PIVOT ARM——— , PEG ¢® BLUNT NEEDLE \ f}e— PENCIL =] ima ¥ noah . c. Toi @ GAARA 40S 0 | Gs j Very Ludicrous and Mirth-Provoking Pictures are Made With the Simple Pantograph Illustrated. Try It on a Profile Picture of One of Your Friends arm and base, be about ¥% in. so that the tracer arm will above the turntable. Tack a profile, or silhouette picture, to the turntable, and a sheet of blank paper to the other end of the base. Trace the profile by means of the blunt needle; a comical picture will be produced by the pencil on the other end of the tracer arm. It is possible to obtain five different pic- tures from one copy by merely moving fhe pivot successively from one of the holes in the base to another, while, by removing the peg, turning the table until another notch registers with the hole, and re- inserting the peg, many other transforma- tions are produced. A Handy Lap Table A table that can be supported on the lap is particularly desirable for seam- stresses and, un- der some circum- stances, for camp- ing and other pur- The table may be made from poses, light lumber, or heavy wallboard, with a semicircle cut from one edge to fit against the body as shown, A setscrew is at- tached to the rear of the board for holding a support ing leg of heavy wire, as indicated in the drawing.—A. B. Smith, Santa Fe, N. M.

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Part BOUT this season of the year the I ik longing auto owner begins to thi ly of the Joys of the open road. 7d and more people are using their cars for long-distance trips every year, and, while many of them depend for sleeping and eating accommodations upon the hotels and restaurants en route, many more tourists like to rely entirely upon their own resources. It is for the latter class that this series of articles is written For the man who owns a certain popu lar light automobile and who does not care to go to the trouble and expense of building a special body for his car, there are numerous v in which he may add to his own and his fellow travelers’ com- fort, with very little expense. The first question to decide is that of sleeping accommodations. Figs. 1 and 2 show how comfortable beds may be rigged up with a minimum of trouble. In Fig. 1 the back of the front seat of the touring car is cut and hinged so as to fall back, thus making a bed practi- cally the full length of the car. Cut the back, at the point in icated, with a hack- saw, holding the saw at an so that it will not catch in the sheet metal, The upholstery, of course, should be care- fully cut first, before any sawing is done When the back has been cut, two pieces of wood should be cut to fit between the walls of the back, and firmly nailed to it, from each side. Before nailing, the upholstery may be tacked back into place, or if a better finished job is desired, cut a piece of leather substitute, matching the seat covering, and tack it over the ex- posed edges of the metal. The seat back is hinged to the seat proper,at the bottom and, when allowed to fall back, bracket screwed to the bottom board of the rear seat. On the inner side of the front doors, two brackets are secured, upon which rests a luggage carrier and cushion; this forms the front of the bed. The luggage carrier may be built up of by l-in. wooden slats, somewhat simi- angle, rests ona 626 By H. F. JOHNSON I— Inexpensive Attachments for the Car shown in Fig. 2, but cut to width of the car. With the illus- given, no difficulty will be « perienced by those who desire to struct this type of “Pullman.” In Fig. 2, a combined bed and luggage carrier is built up of stout wooden slats, and is made in two parts lar to that suit the trations con- shown. It is hinged in the middle. The inner half is hinged to the running board, and, as hown in the detail drawing, both part — outward to form a_ substantial couch. Pieces of 1 by l-in. t al to the outer ha a 4 the bed when extended. A pneumatic mattress may be used with this type; this has the additional advantage of not tak ing up much space when stock, at y packed, al- though, of course, this is a soana of in dividual preference. A bed of this kind vith a tent like that and for comparatively where a tent is not de 1 the more curtains are ed. On the one shown should only be used shown in ig. ’ short dist inces, sired, the first type suitable, as, when the side drawn tight, no tent is need- other hand, a tent such may be used to shield the as the tourist from sun and rain when cooking, and, besides, the bed used with the tent does not demand so much care in con struction. \fter the sleeping accommodations have been provided for, the tourist will probably turn his attention to the prepa- ration of his food and how he will i this important part of his outfit. First and foremost will be the ques tion of a stove. Just what kind to use depends al together on the “cruiser” himeelf. and whether or not he wants to build a fire at every For those who do not, the gasoline stove in Fig. 3 is recom mended. A stove of this type may be bought, but by judiciously rearranging the fuel tank of a small gasoline and inclosing the whole in a metal case in the manner shown, a surprising econ- omy in space is obtained. An alternative stop. stove,

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ow ~ POPULAR MECHANICS 6:

CUT UPHOLSTERY

“£74 LUGGAGE CARRIER , — SUPPLIES ~~ COMPARTMENT Fia.5 Fia.6

No One Gets More Joy Out of Life than the Automobile Tourist, Especially If He Elects to Avoid Hotels and Their Expenses, and Camps Wherever He Happens to Find Himself. Attachments That will Enable the Owner of the Light Car to Do This are Illustrated Above

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628 POPULAR suggestion is the use of acetylene gas in connection with an ordinary stove burner, the two being connected by a rubber hose. To keep the stove and the cook- ing utensils together, as they should be, a combination table and box, such as that shown in Fig. 4, may be used. The covers of the box are hinged at the top and provided with braces for holding them horizontal when raised, a similar set of braces being provided at the bot- tom to prevent its being overturned. Such 1 table enables the tourist to keep insects from his food, which he generally can- not do when he eats with his food on the ground. By inserting partitions of the proper size in the upper part of the box he can stow all his cooking utensils so that they will be protected against lamage. The underside of the hinged ides can be provided with pockets to old v: tus small items, such knives, ‘orks, sea spoons. The whole arrange- down to which it is al- nent, when closed, is strapped he running board, from ways readily removable Figure 5 shows a method of using a : > tent over the car at night. Generally, a legree of skill that the average person loes not possess is required to make a tent, and consequently no description of how such a tent should be built is given. However, any ordinary wall tent as long is the top when raised, will answer. The tent is thrown over the top of the car, ind the corners guyed down in the regu- MECHANICS lation manner with or without poles. Where more than two persons make up the party a tent of some sort is an ab- solute essential, and if a trunk rack can be attached to the rear of the car it can be carried easily; at the same time, the bedding material can be wrapped up in- side of it, where it is protected against dust and dampness. Various types of tents for this particular purpose are to be obtained on the market, but the seasoned tourist prefers the ordinary tent, even if it involves the necesssity of carrying a set of tent poles. There are various places about the light automobile that can be utilized for the stowage of a variety of articles, for which no provision was made by the builder, ich as the box underneath the rear of the front seat in Fig. 1 and the running board boxes in Fig. 6. Owing to its triangular shape, the box in the former drawing can best be utilized for carrying tire chain jack, towrope, and accessories of a similar character, for which there may not be room in the tool box. The run ning-board boxes can be fastened either above or under the metal running board with angle irons at the ends,*and form a convenient receptacle for reserve bat- teries, photographic supplies, emergency supplies of oil and fuel, and the like. The building of a special body for the car, for the ambitious “land yachtsman,” and the question of suitable supplies, etc., will be taken up in succeeding articles.

Preventing Locking of Singletrees To overcome the locking of singletrees that occurs when two used which do not —F pull together, : two pieces of flat iron can be attached to ry) the doubletree in such a man- ner that the singletrees horses are TI

Ft P - a > cannot catch. e gt wo pieces of an He by 34 by Z 12-in. flat iron aS : = are bent at the “% FLAT IRON—>< center, and the ends are spread apart to fit over the double- tree, in line with the inner ends of the singletrees. The irons are attached to the doubletree by bolts—Mrs, Ruth Darling Shultis, Lansing, Mich, A Felt-Pad Silver Cleaner One of the most effective methods of cleaning silver is to use a felt-covered block. Several iayers of felt are stretched over a block of wood, about 2 by 4 by 6 in., and tacked at the ends. A quantity of whiting is then rubbed into the felt, and the pad is moistened with ammonia be- fore using. It is used in the same manner as the old-style scouring brick, but the results are much more satisfactory. It will not be necessary to renew the whiting frequently, but a few drops of ammonia added each time it is used is advised. Keeping Fence Wires Taut To keep the separate strands of a wire fence taut, bore holes through all corner posts to take long threaded eyebolts, to which the wires are fastened. When the fence is built, nuts and washers should be placed on the extreme ends of the bolts. —J. Sterling Bird, Poughkeepsie, N. Y.

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POPULAR A Compact Pastry “Board” A piece of white oilcloth, about 24 in. square, makes a compact pastry board for the cook of the kitchenette. A 1-in. hem is stitched around the oilcloth square and . strip of tape is sewed across the center so that it will not break when folded. For rolling pastry or doing anything for which the old-fashioned bread board was used, the oilcloth is fastened to the table with brass thumbtacks; after it has been used and washed off, it is folded in the center and wrapped around the rolling pin, to which it is fastened with two of the thumbtacks, the other two being stuck into the end of the pin.—Mrs. Jennie E. McCoy, Philadelphia, Pa. A Simple Rain Gauge A rain gauge, by which one can ascer- tain with fair accuracy the precipitation over a certain period, is made from a grad- bottle uated and two tin funnels. The spout of the larger funnel is removed and that of the smaller one is inserted into the opening and sol- dered, as indicated. The spout of the smaller funnel is placed in the neck of the bottle. In order to determine the amount of pre- cipitation, the bot- — me 28! tle must be gradu- = a ated in fractions of we an inch, and this -. may be done by marking the bottle with a file, or by making a scale on paper and gluing it to the glass, afterward coat- ing it over with varnish. In use, the gauge should be set in the open.—T. C. Dyer, Collinsville, Conn.

—— Illuminating the Stove Oven A small electric lamp inside the oven of the ordinary kitchen range, so arranged that it is automatically turned on and off with the opening and closing of the oven door, will be welcomed by the user. A porcelain lamp receptacle is bolted to the interior of the oven so that the lamp will not interfere with the insertion of dishes and pans. The drawing shows how the light is operated on ranges equipped with IECHANICS 629 a counterweighted door. All the wires used in an installation of this character must be asbestos-covered, and care should ASBESTOS-INSULATED WIRE ~ PORCELAIN RECEPTACLE LAMP. )

OVEN - DOOR COUNTER- WEIGHT al TO CURRENT SUPPLY / ‘PORCELAIN TUBES SWITCH “ SPRING BRASS—», —Ge = f Pa iW. y SLATE —a_~ <a ee th — OZ \ — SWITCH ” An Electric Lamp Installed inside the Range Oven is Lighted and Extinguished by the Opening and Closing of the Oven Door be taken to have all parts so insulated, or concealed, that there will be no liability of shock if current from the lighting circuit is used. However, for all practical pur- poses, a miniature lamp operated by two or three dry cells will give sufficient illumi- nation, and is to be preferred.—Kenneth Coggeshall, Webster Groves, Mo. A Simple Bench A bench, substantial enough to hold a machine vise, and of sufficient strength to stand the rough usage incident to this duty, is a necessity around the farm or — home work- shop. A very sim- ple and cheap bench is shown in the illustration ; it consists of a stout barrel,in the center of which is set a heavy post, firmly packed with gravel. A board of the desired dimen- sions is fastened to the post top, and the vise is mounted thereon. A bench of this character does not occupy much space, and is unusually well suited for this pur- pose.—A,. W. Andrews, Long Island, N. Y.

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630 POPULAR A Wheel Jack for the Private Garage Applying chains to the car before leav- ing the garage is often n¢ of the inconvenience of jacking up the car, and the _é— AXLE 6) {J pos sibility of elected because soiling one’s clothes. The ; wheel jack C\ “FLOOR shown in the “we drawing will ¥ y Leatl ner dQ. 3 y Fic } Make this oper- iia ta ii : 7 ation simplicity O xX lf. Thejacl A ) “CENTER OF JACK itself. le jack ry \ CENTER OF is bolted to a TRUCK AXLE ' “er r RK, wooden DIOCK, A, andthisin turn - a Py yr ZZ is attached to LO - ° - > eZ . 1 pair , we i h s SUPPORT WEIGET handle, to gain SUPPORT Fig 2 Wa oO. ieverage Lo raise the wheel from the floor, wheel the jack into position so that it engages the a le, is 1n by l I ao 1 yn th hand until the ) ] { 1 touche the floor, as in Fig, 2 Che weight of the car will then fall between the axle of the truck and the bend of the handle, provid ing a solid and stationary support for all practical purposes. After the jack has once been adjusted to the axle he ight of the car it will not be necessary to change it, if always used for the same car.—G. F Hendrickson, Argyle, Wis. A Silencer for Rattling Windows Winds can blow in vain without rat- tling the windows of a house equipped with the antirat- » _ oa Ww . nM / { \ tler shown in the tT ® Fe] drawing. A piece Mh F r 4]. ~ | 4 = of flat spring steel, aol Uy 1, in., or more, wide and about ee 21% in. long, is an- \\| PUNCHED ~“ |---| nealed at one end | and punched, after { which the strip is =| bent shown. |} , | The springs are screwed to the "he 4—| window frame i serine“ “J with small fi it- \ head wood screws, so that there will be no play between the sash and frame of the window that is responsible for the rat- tle—Carl H. Spatz, Nutley, N. J. WINDOW CLEAT MECHANICS Hooks Hold Dry Measures A simple device for holding dry meas- ures when filling, consists of a hook per- manently fastened to the top of the meas ure. A U-shaped hook of flat iron is made with one end a trifle longer than the other. two Che long end is drilled with that it can be fastened to the measure with screws, bolts, or rivets. as may be desirable. In use, the measure is hooked over the container instead of being placed on the floor or held between the knees, thus eliminating the necessity of bending, and permitting the free use of both hands. hol Ss, so Guide for Platform Rocker To prevent the rockers of a platform base chair from working out of line cy vith | adael : ; ; the base and upsetting the occupal guides can be attached, as shown in the rawin \ HARDWOOD SCREWS di — strip of hard od, abo , 9 j by “& in and of a su ible length, is crewei to ~ ~! each rocket the strips ar beveled off o1 \ the PLATFORM - BASE ROCKER edges, to make a neat app ’ and are placed sufficiently back from the end so that they will aly iys bear against the sides of the base when the chair is in use.—Roy E. Kingsley, Melrose, Mass. &* arance A Horseshoe Door Knocker A neat and effective door knocker may be made from a small-sized horseshoe. A bracket is made of 114 is split, and the ears forged, as in. flat stock, which shown, to [| take the pins carrying the horseshoe. The heel calks are drilled to correspond with the ears on the _ bracket, the pins inserted, and heads formed on them. e P } SS! lV f If desired, a round- = : may be | A head rivet driven into the bracket for the horseshoe toe Wit to strike against, al- though this is not essential —C, C. Spreen, Warren, Ohio.

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ig home is now considered complete without its reading lamp, the soft, shaded light of which is not only restful to the eyes, but introduces a note of cozy comfort in the simplest surroundings. Many more people would use these lamps were it not for their comparatively high cost. With a little care, however, lamp bases may be made from plaster of Paris or cement, which, when finished and fitted with an appropriate shade, can barely be from the most expensive distinguished wooden ones. Obtain a piece of sheet metal, galvan- ized iron being perhaps the best, about 2 in. longer than the desired height of the lamp base, and 1 or 2 in. wider than its greatest radius Choose a design like B or C, Fig. 1, or like Fig. 5, and avoid a design that is undercut, as shown at D, Fig. 1; undercut parts in the design make it impossible to withdraw a simple sheet- metal form, when making the original, or to extract the piece from the mold, when making duplicates. the sheet metal is trued up, and half of the design laid out on the surface of the metal, using the trued edge as the center line. The design is then cut out with shears and chisel, and finished with fine half-round files; the form is next placed on a piece of board, *4 in. thick, and the outline transferred to the wood, which is cut out somewhat larger than the design. Tack the metal to the wood as shown in Fig. 2, allowing it to project over the wood about \% in.; this backs up the metal, while leaving a sharp The next operation consists in nailing the form, with its wooden back- ing, to a stout box, as shown in Fig. 3; the box must be deeper than the largest diameter of the finished base. Two sup- ports are nailed to the ends of the box, as illustrated, the supports being drilled for a piece of %-in. pipe, the center of which must be level with the top edge of the form and about 1 in. distant from it. One end of the pipe is bent, as illustrated, to form a handle. Everything is now ready for making the original. Mix the plaster or cement with water to a thick cream. Obtain a square piece One edge of edge. AKIN G EADING-LAMP BASES Ry Lt dw. Atkinson of burlap, 1 in. shorter than the length of the design, and dip it in the plaster until it has taken up as much as possible, then wrap it around the pipe, as shown in Fis 3, securing it with one or two pieces of string if necessary. The burlap provide a foundation for the plaster when pouring is started and also strengthens the mods somewhat. Commente turning the pip: while pouring the plaster over the burl the form will shave off the excess plaster until the piece at last takes shape; tl operation is shown in Fig. 4. If th plaster sets too quickly, add a little glu size to the water when mixing. If only 7 a HEET ME 4 Pa FORM | = ti o +4 ¥ LK Ks i. i| v lt > ) COMPLETED MODEL Fic.5 j oe a Ss YY ay j j ria y \Wh in| JA } x | |Pa v | . \ Fia.4 FORM MOUNTED READY FOR PLASTER FORMING THE MODEL The Various Steps Necessary in Making Plaster Lamy Bases are Here Shown in Detail. Few Materials, and These of the Simplest, Are Necessary; If Many Bases are to be Made, It Is Best to Construct a Mold. This is Readily Done, and the Casting of the Bases is Then Very Easily Performed one base is required, this piece may no\ be set aside to harden. When it is per fectly hard, cut off the projecting ends of the pipe, at top and bottom, leaving enough at the top to cut a thread on, that a lamp socket, or a two-light bracket may be screwed onto it. A groove may

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POPULAR be cut across the bottom, as shown in Fig, 7, to lead in the wires, a circular piece of felt being then glued on, to hold them, ‘on ~~ = <1] Sf } PUTTY

Fic.9 —

| | | t Fia.8 | T he Mold is Built Up on the Model Made as Shown in the First Illustration, Further Bases being Cast in the Mold and to prevent the ba furniture. If more than base is required, the first may be used as a model, and a mold made from it, in which any number of bases may be cast. Shellac the model shown in Fig. 6; putty along the se from marring the one one and support it as build a dam, or wall, of longitudinal axis, the MECHANICS dam being about 1 in. high and rather irregular on the sides. One-third of the way around the base, build a similar dam, then fill the space between with plaster or cement, first, however, coating both dams and the exposed surface of the model with olive oil, or any similar lubri cant. When this plaster coating has set, strip off one putty dam and build it up again as illustrated in Fig. 7. Oil the exposed edge of the first plaster coat, the model surface, and the dam, and again pour on cement or plaster. When this in its turn has set, strip off both dams, oil, and pour the remaining third of the mold. When completed, and parted from the model, the three pieces of the mold will appear as in Fig. 8, each piece being an exact replica, in reverse, of one-third of the model surface, and, when assembled, as in Fig. 9, forming a complete mold. Making duplicate bases is simplicity itself. A piece of %-in. pipe is bent at right angles and inserted into the mold, as shown, one leg of the pipe being long enough to pass through the bottom of the mold and the shorter leg just touching the edge. Oil the mold, and pour in the ce- ment; when this has set, remove the mold. The plaster or cement can readily be stained to match the furniture, first filing in any small blowholes which may be observable, with a fairly thick paste of the material used for the piece. A good finish can be secured by using wood dye and then applying one or two “of good varnish. The shade is readily ob- tainable at any department store. coats

Window Display Uses Spark Coil An ordinary vibrating-type induction coil, such as is used on light automobiles, can be combined with a set of batteries and a piece of glass to make an attention- compelling electric window sign. The name of the product, or other message, is painted on the sheet of glass with shellac, preferably in script, so that all the letters will be connected together. While the shellac is still sticky it is dusted with fine brass filings. When the induction coil is connected in the circuit with the metallic letters, the current will pass through the characters in a blue sheet as the spark jumps from one minute particle of metal to another. Such a sign can be changed as often as desired by removing the shel- lac with’ wood alcohol. A circuit inter- rupter, or other means for applying the current intermittently, will prolong the life of the batteries and contact points. Grindstone Pan Made from Old Tire The water pan of a- grindstone be- came so badly rusted that it was worth- less for the purpose intended, and while casting about for a substitute, the idea of using an old automobile tire, as shown in the draw- ing, occurred. The upper end of the tire is supported by a brace made of flat

IRON BRACE -— ———e

~ CASING ~\

iron. The re- sult was not only a satis- factory water pan but a shield that pre- vented excessive splashing, thus contrib- uting considerably to the comfort of the user,

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POPULAR MECHANICS Blue Spots on Sepia Prints Photographic , prints that are “toned sepia” by the redeveloping method, fre- quently come out of the solution marked with small blue spots. This is due to the of impure potassium ferricyanide in the bleaching solution. The impure chem- ical contains small particles of iron in a or less free state. The may also be caused by using enameled trays, from which the enamel has chipped enough to expose the iron base. Nat- urally, by using chemically pure ferricy- anide and avoiding iron trays, the spots avoided. use more spots will be Sodium sulphide, if allowed to grow old while exposed to the air, will give yellowish-brown tones rather than the de- sired sepia.—A. C. Cole, Chicago, Ill, Protecting the Lawn When Using Ladders Roofers and painters, who must use laddet know how often complaints are ird about the marks their ladders have made in lawns and flower- beds. All such damage can be avoided by CLEAT setting the ladder in a shallow box, } as shown in the drawing. The box should be slightly wider than the low- er end of the ladder, and a cleat across the bottom, on the inside, will furnish all the support necessary for the ladder. The box also is highly desirable for furnishing a firm support in soft soil—R. F, Hamill, Elkins, West Virginia. ges A Cooking Frame for the Camp Three pieces of pipe or tubing are re- quired for this simple cooking arrange- ment forthe camp. The upright pieces of tubing, which are inserted into the ground, are bolted to the crosspiece about 3 in. from each end, and on opposite sides, as shown, so that the whole may be folded up. The horizontal crosspiece is drilled about 1 in. from each end, and a metal ring inserted for attaching the guy wires, Similar rings are attached to the is outer ends of the guy wires, through which a stake may be driven. The cook- ing utensils are suspended from the cross- 4 — 4 FT.—— Te) ——-— —————— a 3 Lj CLOSED 4 avias\\ 4" BOLT CTD RING \ | "7 = - ( )) / \ ‘es! /\ Fe ae F + yi ty | A PA \ “Th | Lv ' GUY 2 / whe j \ TUBING / | \ e , \ | — KE eT ' rwooo \ | - \ IRON CUT 4 \ TO F - \ ! CHAINS) ina f. L\e / A VS | . ——s°% ~ 2 = | Pee oN J “+ ‘on te ° . : \ © This Folding Cooking j \ 14 Frame for the Camp Is | DETAIL OF CHAIN GRIP Light, Compact, and Duicammenmplees Rawnadl Durable piece, with pieces of sash chain provided with a hook at one end. A notched block, with short stakes at each end as shown, erves for a chain grip. In this manner eral containers may be suspended over 1 hire at th Lawre nce, e same time.—Clifford M. Philadelphia, Pa. A Compact Indoor Aerial An indoor aerial t and iat can be rolled up stowed and that will give ex away, l \ cellent results, is made from a length of cloth and some tinfoil strips. A piece of some light- e—_7> “wooo weight cloth, about 10 in. wide and 1514 ft. long, is glued to a wood en stretcher at each end. Four tinfoil strips, 14 in. wide and 15 ft. long, are attachedtothe fabric with glue as shown, and connected at each end by strip foil cross The of any number of short pieces, which should not be glued, but sewed together with a needle strips may be made up and thread, the stitches being taken through the cloth. A brass connecting clip is sewed at one end so that one of the

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634 POPULAR cross strips is underneath and in contact with it. The thread should be drawn as tightly as possible with each stitch, to in- sure a good contact. The entire aerial is then given a light coat of shellac, and after this has dried, another coat is ap- plied along the edges of the tinfoil strips. —H. H. Schneckloth, Omaha, Neb. Tent for Permanent Camp The interior of an ordinary wall tent may be made more comfortable by setting CANVAS STRIP TACKED 2°x4" MATERIAL) / TO WINDQW- SHADE ROLLER, CLAPBOARDS = Pa GROMMETS HOOK | OVER anyon ogee SWINGING DOORS The Interior of an Ordinary Wall Tent May be Greatly \ PORCH ‘SCREEN DOOR 24" DOOR , FRAME Enlarged by Setting the Tent on Top of Wooden Walls; a Screen Door Keeps Out Insects the tent over a wooden wall, 2 or 3 ft. high, and fastening the guy ropes to a raised railing at the sides, as shown in the draw- ing. The front end of the wall is pro- vided with a door frame to which a screen door is attached. A short tent pole is attached over the center of the door frame to support the front end of the ridge pole; a longer pole will be required at the rear to allow for the height the tent elevated. Additional ventilation may be obtained by fitting smaller doors in the wall, at each side of the entrance. A window-shade roller to which a strip of canvas is tacked may be fitted at the top of the door to prevent rain from blowing in, and for additional privacy. The tent is attached to the wooden wall® by hooking the grommets, or eyelets, on the bottom edge of the canvas over screw- hooks. is Blackboard-Cleaning Compound The school-teacher who serves as his or her own janitor can clean blackboards more easily and quickly than by washing them if the boards are wiped off with a cloth to which sweeping compound has been applied. MECHANICS Keeping Trees Straight “As the twig is bent,” so runs the proverb, “the tree inclines,” and any ob- servation of an orchard will show a sur prisingly large number of trunks that are not perfectly upright; the trees were planted upright, but nevertheless some slope one way and some another. After the planting process, young trees are often made to lean by unequal settling. If they are puddled in, tree by tree, or if irrigation is used in settling, the trees should be inspected when the earth has subsided, and if the trunks are not up- right, the trees should be straightened, pressing more earth about them to main- tain the new position. More than one orchard is made to look ill-kept by trunks sloping in all directions, because the planter did not observe this precaution. In regions where the prevailing winds blow from a certain quarter, more sloping trunks will show in an unprotected loca- tion, than where the trees are partly or entirely protected from the clear sweep of the wind. Trees planted in very shal- low holes are particularly sensitive to natural influences and soon their erectness, The most attractive distinguished by clean, straight trunks, and the thing to remember is that the time to insure such results is during the early life of the tree. Most trees get “bent” in the period directly following their setting out.— Oscar C. Place, Boulder, Colo. lose orchards are always An Efficient Corn Stripper For stripping the ears and foliage from cornstalks, as well as for removing the leaves from sugar cane, sorghum, and other stalks from I which sirup is to CORNSTALK be made, the strip wa per shown in the avers drawing will be a great convenience. The device is made from two pieces of flexible steel which are bent to the shape shown, riveted to- gether, and pro- vided with a han- dle for convenience in using. In use, the stripper is snapped over the stalk or ears, and then drawn downward, thus severing the leaves from the stalk.—G. A. Tib bans, Galena, Kan.

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POPULAR Kerosene-Emulsion Spray A kerosene emulsion for combating the ravages of scale insects, woolly aphis, and various sucking parasites, is made by mix- ing 10 Ib. of hard- soap chips with 20 gal. of kerosene and 20 gal. of water. The soap chips are- dissolved in the water under moderate heat, and the kero- sene is added gradually as the soap dis- solves, mixing thoroughly. When the soap has entirely dissolved, the mixture should be churned for about 15 minutes. For use against plant lice, and other sucking insects, during the growing sea on, the emulsion is diluted with about 20 gal. of water and applied with a spray; against scale insects and woolly aphis it is diluted with abaut 10 gal. of water. Repairing Broken Lever Sector While using a corn cultivator for listed corn, one of the teeth on the shovel- reg lating lever sector was broken off. a The broken tooth, as usu

ally happens, was the one most used, and the tooth ahead or back i of the broken hy —_ one did not permit the shovels to be , LUA @..s = otTH —?™ A oy ? NEW T( < gulated ( PX properly. The \ 4 - ‘ ) y, i root of the ry ¥ j / broken tooth a Me was filed off flush with the and a dovetailed groove was made to accommodate a new tooth, formed from flat stock with a hacksaw and file. A 14- in. hole was drilled through the tooth and its dovetail countersinking the sector, Proove, hole on one side, so that the rivet used for holding the parts together would clear the lever. After the rivet had been upset, the new tooth was as firm and rigid as the original—George G. McVicker, North Bend, Neb. Improving the Accelerator Pedal who has driven an automobile is familiar with the strained position in which the foot must be held to operate the accelerator pedal. A pedal requiring a downward pressure of the foot permits road shocks to jolt the foot and gives a jerky action to the engine. The usual ac- Anyone MECHANIC

S 635 celerator will be addition of the greatly improved by the simple device shown in PIVOT

ANGLE IRON oe PEDAL FASTENED TO FLOOR Attachment for the Acceler itor Pedal of an Automo- bile That Assures Foot Comfort to the Driver and Complete Control of the ~ sa Be at All Tin the drawin It « of a 4-in ot angl f ed to the yor « car witht » bo 7 ) ltot ction of e | | of { twisted P to { , P le lal. I} e, t foot rest yn 1 ‘ the ar i nd l to t left ( cc IS ce ¢ | l l is ina ¢ for e po yn the « is under cor e control 1 time Thomas W., | yn, Philade Keeping Ants from Food One of the inevitable difficulties of pic nic parties is the separation of ants from the food, which is usually necessary if the members have any scruples against ants as garnishing, The insects may be prevented from gaining access to the lunch by sus- pending the bas- kets from the limb of a tree, using the hook shown in the drawing for the purpose. Such a hook is easily made from ap iece of stiff wire anda can lid. A hole is made in the center of the lid, the wire is passed through and

soldered, and hooks are bent at each end In use, the can lid is filled with water, which forms an effective barrier against any creeping or crawling insect.

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636 Ice-Cream Freezer Held Stationary Those who have struggled with an ice- cream freezer will appreciate the value of this simple idea, which provides a sure means of holding the freezer in place as the cream is frozen. Two hooks, about 7 or 8 in. long, are fastened to oppo- site sides of the wooden tub about 2 in. from the top, as shown. After the freezer has been placed on a strong box, or chair, at the proper height for turning the crank, a 2-in. wooden strip is fastened to the wall at the same

height as the hooks on the freezer. In this strip are placed two screweyes for holding the hooks. With the screweyes_ properly spaced, the freezer will be held against the wooden strip and all slipping and turning, during the process of freezing, will be prevented. Making a Mute for a Cornet To diminish the tone of a cornet for practice purposes, or for producing the popular saxophone effect, a mute is neces- sary. Such an article can be made from the conical cardboard cores that wrapping string is wound CORK ~<a ~ on. These cores | Ls yA may be easily ob- ( \ At most any _ store, For a cornet mute should be although any size may be used with varying results. tained from al- A this ( about 61% in. long, Three small strips

} - | = | of cork are glued t— “ equidistantly ; ——— aro sm: : ite: und the small « DISK end of the cone, to hold the mute inside the bell of the instrument. A card- hoard disk glued over the open end com- pletes the mute, which is ready for use after it has been given two coats of shel- lac.—Philip A. Wall, Bedford, Mass. POPULAR MECHANICS Couplers for Toy Trains For toy railroads, small tractors with trailers, and similar toys, a coupler is gen- erally needed which must be so simple that “a child can operate it.” One way of making them is this: The parts of snap fasteners are separated and soldered to short lengths of flexible wire, the wires being attached to the toys. To connect two cars or toys, it is only necessary to snap the two parts of the fasteners to- gether. The snap fasteners are readily obtainable at any notion counter.—Geo, E. Perkins, S. Bound Brook, N. J. An Animal-Proof Gate Latch One of the farmer’s worries is the pos- sibility of his stock opening the gates of their pasture, and gaining access to his own or his neighbor’s

crops. Horses ¥ ee TA and cattle i} speedily learn wane | to open gates JS © fitted with an : a] [ | ordinary latch, re 255 and when they = ne) Ba do this, it is —<<———-—fll} usually a case / | of hunting uw = Za | the stock — ee ee and paying LATCH Ads for the dam-

MORTISE CUT IN POST~ age. A simple latch, that is proof against such animal intelligence, consists of a notched wooden bar, fitting against a similar notch in one of the rails of the gate. This bar is provided with a hand- hole, and the end slides into a mortise cut into the gatepost. The latch is held in position by guides fastened to each side of the gate.—G. A. Tibbans, Galena, Kan. Healthful Poultry Roosts Opinions differ on this, as on other points, but investigators discover a grow ing number of commercial poultry men who have eliminated dropping boards, under one plan or another. Some do it to save labor, others because they believe it to be more healthful. The arrange- ment herewith described is_ effective, gauged by either consideration. The perches, or roosts, are placed at the usual height from the floor. On the floor, in front of the outermost roost and parallel with it, a 12-in. board is set on

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POPULAR edge, a similar board being nailed to the back wall. At 3-ft. intervals, 2-in. cross strips are nailed to the front and rear boards. The whole is then covered with 2-in. poultry netting. ( nder the dropping-board system, the osting fowls are exposed to the am- oniacal fumes rising from the droppings. (he boards also provide breeding and .lging places for various parasitic pests; disadvantages are overcome when he droppings accumulate on the floor underneath. The accumulated droppings ire removed only as required or con- venient. Phe il ng deserves +} Leese special object of the poultry net- mention. Unless the drop- covered in some manner, the will scratch more or less under the if any of the flock happen to have his condition is communicated to iys are 1 he flock, as the droppings will eggs, which the fowls will find The wire covering prevents this. main objection to allow1 accumulate ts, that moisture is and held; this can be overcome hat, by covering with dry dirt or from time to time. ott ing drop- Gong Made from a Brake Drum call bell for use in made from a or gong, suitable the shop or garage, can be ‘arded automobile brake drum. A bolt is used to attach the drum to wall. For the striker, a piece of light ae steel rod, Bots | about %6 in. J \ | in diameter iS eay| with an old &-STEEL ROD! valve, or sim- ‘nace lia cet ilar piece of metal, fixed to the end, in line with the drum, is used. A piece of rope and a handle are provided for bringing the striker _} into contact with the drum. The spring of the steel rod, of course, pulls the striker back again. VALVE r 4 @ Men using welding apparatus should wear suitable goggles for eye protection, having frames that are nonconductors of heat (not celluloid), side shields, and lenses of proper color. MECHANICS 637 Wrenches and Pliers from Cotter Pins When inserting the valve-retaining pin that holds the spring seat to the valve stem, it is rather difficult to prevent the pin from drop- ping. For holding these pins and for inserting pins, screws, and other parts inclose places, an ordi- nary cotter pin can often be used toadvantage. The RETAINING PIN . : PREPARATORY points Of the COt- To INSERTING ter are bent as shown, and a small washer, to hold the to- gether, is slip ped overit. Inthe ab- ence of a BEND COTTER PIN ==) a ' conch HOLDING VALVE COTTER PIN ¢ nds REMOVING TIRE VALVE INSIDE IN ABSENCE valve OF CAP cap, a cott and nail used as shown for removing. the inside from a tire valve. . A. Luers, Wasl ton, D. C Reinforcing Windmill Anchor Posts When a years ago, anchor po last as long ever, the they were place them wit] S4-in. reinfor« ing rod Ww ¢ pla ce »d in each p at one side of tl] anchor bolts. pipes were th filled running of sand WINDMILL POST TOWER REINFORCEMENT ROD CONCRETE ha ft mixtu and ce- ment, which was thor ly tamped. Now, even though metal ' entirely away anchor posts will strong ones, wit iW W, TiS, 1 TM) ou g be as new concrete fil] should be mi: in the proportio f two 1 part cement, and should be of consistency.—Geo. F. HeVicker. Jend, Nebr. sand to a quaky North one

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POPULAR Number of Feet in Pound of Insulated Wire Amateur electricians will welcome the

| handy table shown below. ———$<$_ —_—___—_ _———_-----—— B84. SINGLE | pous LE Si ay DOUBLE a . COTTON- Sev vot. SILK- GAUGE COVERED COVE »VERED COVERED 20 311 298 l 312 21 389 270 40 ; 389 22 438 461 503 493 23 é 554 636 631 24 762 745 800 779 25 57 903 1005 966 26 1192 11186 1265 1202 27 1488 1422 1590 1543 28 1852 1759 1972 1917 29 2375 2207 2570 2485 +0 2860 2534 3145 2909 3a 3800 | 2768 3943 3683 Se 4575 3737 4950 4654 33 6390 4697 180 5689 34 6500 6168 7740 7111 35 8050 6737 9600 6834 36 9820 7877 12000 10039 | 37 1186 9309 15000 1066 i 38 14% | 10636 18660 14222 39 | 17130 } 11907 23150 | 16516 | 4 2159 14222 | 28700 =| 21335 This Table Gives the Number of Feet per Pound of net Wire Used in Other the Construction ° Insulated Ma; R Electrical Apparatus ol aQlo and Doorstops Elevate Child’s Chair When a child must sit at a table with his face level with his plate and his arms below the table he learns table manners slowly. By screwing wooden doorstops, such as are used to prevent doorknobs from digging holes in the plaster, into the bottoms of the legs, the chair is elevated sufficiently, in most cases, to bring the child to a po where he can dine comfortably. sition A Simple Paper Puzzle An entert be made aining and clever puzzle can from a piece of p and some string. It will the puzzle fan some- thing to —— ) worry about | ry in getting the | | | pia ail , large card- board disks seemingly to pass through a very much smaller hole. A piece of

strong paper, about 3 by 6 in., has two slits cut in ‘ te the center ( < Sx AS about 3. in. F aa a es ) long and 14 Se in. apart, so that the paper between the cuts can be pulled up like a loop. About !% below the slits, a hole

MECHANICS a little over 4% in. in diameter is made: this hole should be wide enough to permit the paper loop to pass through it as shown in the lower drawing. <A _ card board disk, about 1 in. in diameter, is tied to each end of a short piece of string. The puzzle apparently consists of pass ing the twine through the loop in the paper and the pasteboard disks through the round hole, which, it should be re- membered, is only half their diameter. The trick is easily accomplished by pull ing the loop of paper formed by the slits through the smaller hole as far as it -will come, passing one of the disks through it, as indicated in the lower drawing, and then allowing the loop to go back to its original position.—S. Leonard Bastin Ene bine Bournemouth, Wheel-Bearing Ween for Light Car The wrench used for tightening and ° j

A \ = improved y it JC) cutting out a SFY | section at one SECTI side of the } . P ' | spindle lot. T) | 4 4 aa rhis open- + | ing should be at bb i cut to the shape and di ADJUSTMENT CAN BE MADE WITH- | mensionsillus OUT REMOVING NUT AND WASHER SS i | trated, and will permit ad justment of the cones without first re- moving the outside spindle nut and washer, which must be done if the wrench is not altered Making Loose-Pin Hinges Tamper-Proof A locked fitted with pin hinges, can sometimes be opened by tak- ing out the hinge pins. A simple kink that will prevent this is to make a pin as shown in the drawing. One end of the pin is flattened, bent at right angles, and countersunk in the jamb. A point is turned on this flat- tened portion and driv- en into the jamb, thus making it impossible to remove the pin when the door is closed. —L. E. Brundage, Norwood, Colo. door, loose

DOOR JAMB—

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a be ~ ofiiial : Sg” metas > = ne aml —— — Ce ee ' ene cst Ne 8 gt tet tete ou n soaer CANVAS-ROOFED BUNGALOWS FOR CALIFORNIA TOURISTS SOUTHERN California has an even greater housing problem, in the present shortage, than most communi ties, because of the increasing influx of tourists who must be accommodated. A suburb of Los Angeles has adopted, as a temporary way out of the difficulty, a form of frame house with tentlike canvas roof, familiar to many summer resorters in other parts of the country. walls is left open and provided with weatherproof curtains. In place of windows, the entire upper part of the These makeshift dwellings are being erected in groups on vacant plots of ground, one in each group serving as the common bathhouse | OPPORTUNE ANNOUNCEMENTS Whenever prize competitions mentioned on this page will appear with the announcement Ir of nformation by request, mentioning t ustrial acidresses w of tl are article conducted by a publi nstitution, the t be published, but may be tained THOUSAND-DOLLAR PRIZE OFFERED FOR REAL NONSKID HORSESHOE Motive hot umane nd economic ctuate the S« i seshoe that will 1 i or wet ¢ icy 1 é s. to side from the mal suffering caused y uch everyday accidents s timate that the es resulting from the insecure footing « horses t 1 millions of dollars a year To encourage e1 t effort, a mi cieties |} cont t total of $1,030 to be offered as prize f t ‘ 1 prac il nor 1 rseshoe The American Humane Association, William O Stillmar é ent, 287 State Street, Albany, N. Y., is handling the prize and caring for inquiries. Models or drawings of the proposed devices vit full type written description, including probable cost of mam however, t facture, re to be sent, » the Americar Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Madison Avenue and 26th Street, New York City, before 6 O07 m., July 1. The c mpetit r’s name is not to appear on any of the matter submitted, a private symbol being used instead. A sealed envelope bearing the me symbol, and inclosing the i ntor’s 1 and address, mt ickage. ist accompany the | EX-SERVICE MEN ASKED TO APPLY FOR THEIR “VICTORY MEDALS” general desirability of the designed for award to ex- Army and ribed and Magazine in March, been received. igo Te Despite the beauty and ronze Victory Medals service men of the American illustrated in Popular Mechanics 1920, very applications for them have Officers in charge of the distribution in the Chi cruiting area have planned a drive to induce those who saw service to make application for their medals, and officers will tour the district for that purpose, address ing f war organizations. The ex-soldier’s army-discharge certifi ate, or a certified 5 ] dest lew meetings oft copy of it, is all that is needed to obtain the medal, and the next of kin of those who have died are also entitled to it. Sesides the medal, clasps to be worn on its ribbon are awarded for participation in battle engage ments or foreign service. The Victory Medal Section, 111 West Washington Street, tl Sta 619 South State Street nd the Marine Corps Recruitin Statior 454 South State Street, all : Chicago, handle the MANY GOVERNMENT EXAMINATIONS FOR TECHNICAL WORKERS There are interesting ncies t now in many of the government's techr 1 departments, ar a number ot excellent Opt rtur ties re otlere y \ Ly ot civil service examinations Until April pplications will be received for positions as metallurgist at $3,000 to $3,600 a year; assistant metallurgist it $2,000 to $3,000; radio engineet t $3 ) to $4,800 assistant radio et neer t $2,000 t > radio-laboratory assistants in two grades at $800 to $1,200 and $1,200 to $2,00 nd Bureau of Mines laboratory assistants t $1.320 to $1,500 for set r. $1,200 to $1,320 for intermediate, and $1,080 to $1,200 for junior grades pril 1 nd 14 an open competitive examination will be held at vari place for nior engineer nd dec] ficer for tl 1’ S ¢ t nd Geodetic Survey, wit n entrar salary 0 Until May 3, applications will be received and promptly rated for master computer, Ordnance Department it large, with a salary of $1,% to $2,4 and com puters in two grades, at $1,4 t $1,800 and $900 to $1.400, as well as for a valuation a n oil and gas, for inte l-revenue work at $1 0 to $2,500, an ssistant val ¢ ¢ et t t $3,600, and a valuation engineer at 600 to $4,8 or more And until further notice, appl tions will be received and immediately rated for an as ite physicist at $2,006 to $2,800, and an assistant physicist at $1,400 to $1.800, for the Bureau of Standards Metallurgists and radio eT neers nd assistants should apply to the Civil Servic Commission for Form No. 2118. All the other positions call for Form No. 1312, and in all cases the name of the examina tion desired should 1 junior engineer and deck officer is only or required to report at a governmert, office for examination, the others being rated on the usual f education, training experience, and general the records of hitness. 639

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FLAT BUILDING DESIGNED TO MEET HIGH COSTS HOUGH rents have risen to corre- spond with the soaring costs of build- ing construction, the assurance of immedi- Front View of the Modern Four-Flat Building That Promises Good Future Returns Even on Present Costs ate return on ltiplied investment required has not ipted builders to un dertake very much new work. An apart ment Investment able return house, the only kind of residence must yield a reason roperly apportioned considerable promise is i Those lg to attack yrrced to rely upon architectural ingenuity to provide buildings that will still heir way when rental rates inevitably turn downward, (Answering this description is a type of four-flat building recently erected in Al ton, Ill. Externally it is of strictly mod ern and conventional brick on a depreciation 1 r\ z a term of } conveyed bv stone foundation, with he: brick en posts and an the doorway. ions are Mw by 52 fit. wall ‘ing 13 in. thick ; e 1 second floor lk-ach of the four flats contains five rooms, which are made equivalent to seven by an arrangement of closet beds \t the front a sun room, 10 ft. square, with a living vom, 13 ft. square, back of it, then a dining alcove, 9 ft. square, connected by a cased opening with a kitchen, 13 by 7 ft., and at the rear a 13 by 10-ft. bedroom. The bathroom is 5 ft. 3 in. by 6 ft., with a trance lental roof ovet below and in. above the good grade of plumbing and fixtures in- stalled. Large closets convert the sun and living rooms into full-fledged bedrooms. and provide ample storage besides. In addition to these beds, the built-in fixtures include a range and a refrigerator in the kitchen, which also has a closet, while the bathroom contains another one for linen storage. A convenience unusual in buildings of this class is a gar bage and refuse incinerator in the basement, with a wall chute open ing to the kitchen of each flat. Hot-water heat is used. The sin gle floor is of yellow pine, as is all of the woodwork, and the walls are rough-finished and tinted. It is estimated that the building may be constructed this spring for space large hall BEDROOM ISFT. XIOFT Reeeuenenrererennveest By! apt tte ee = | i ? BOILER FLUE J INCINERATOR LIVING ROOM IS FT. XIS FT > SUN ROOM 1IOFT XIOFT r | LJ | ar r= 74 2 = Ca or Plan, Showing the Arrangement That Converts Five Rooms into Seven, by Closet Beds in the Living and Sun Rooms $12,000 to $15,000, and the apartments rent for $52.50 a month, giving a gross revenue of $2,520 a year 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 an on file and will be furnished free, by addressing Chicago. [Editor.] article described. ureau of Information, Popular Mechanics Magazine, This information, however, is kept